Tied
by Memeke89
Summary: It's 1961. There have been reports of carcasses found in the River Thames with the most likely suspects being lycanthropes. But the mastermind behind these beasts is up to something else more sinister. Can vampire huntress Lorelei Richford (Arthur Hellsing's fake fiancée,) Walter, and Alucard save Europe in time to discover the true puppet master, or have they always been doomed?
1. Part One: Encountered

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Lay back with a cup of warm tea or coffee. Cuddle into some fluffy blankets. Do what you need to be in your zone, and I'll see you on the flip side.

Tied

Part One: Encountered

A girl clothed in white descended upon her prey, lethal teeth sharpened to sinister points and on clear display. Her hands were positioned as if they were more weapon than appendage. Hair, sleek and lustrous in a deep shade of black. If Lorelei had not been pressed soundly against a solid wall, arms blocking her face in a feeble attempt for safety, she would have accounted for the girl's blood red eyes peeking from a snowy fairy face. It was here, at the imminent moment of greeting masked death, that Lorelei briefly recalled the events that led her to this point. A point that would surely end with her delicate throat ripped out.

Lorelei was thirteen years old. She stole away on her father's aircraft and holed into a crate of blankets and rations. Though the girl always complained of her dainty figure, she grudgingly acknowledged the usefulness of a diminutive size. Her intentions were to aid in the battle in whatever manner in which she could lend her skills. Mother told her to quit her foolishness. That Lorelei should instead board a charter train to the wild countryside of Britain to cower with her relatives and wait.

Lorelei could not abide being a coward.

Taking advantage of her mother and father's tears cast upon her soldier father's departure, she escaped her family home near London, snuggling into the back of the army vehicle her father used to carpool with his fellow soldiers. She was almost caught when sneaking onto the aircraft. The fabric of her bloomers, dress wear her mother severely disapproved of, caught on a sharpened edge of seating. The fabric tore loudly. There was enough time to huddle into the crate before soldiers came to investigate and regard the incident as a run in with rodents.

But Lorelei eventually was found. She failed to realize that a soldier may become peckish and need only pry the crate open to find it already ajar. And there, _there was a girl inside_!

Father was not pleased to find his only child stowed away like a common criminal upon his aircraft. They were of thick, old money blood, and Lorelei's actions were askew from how a young lady should act. When Lorelei relayed how she only desired to help, he shook her shoulders, exclaiming all the usual nonsense adults exclaimed when they were upset about nothing. She was a girl. She was delicate. A battlefield only meant death for fragile children. Her lip trembled, but she would not cry. Lorelei was going to help whether her father agreed or not. He sighed, rubbing his face with his large hand as if to clear the new wrinkles lining his light green eyes.

The crew and Lorelei landed, taking up base in a sector of enemy territory. The soldiers convened to the living room of a recently abandoned dwelling. Whoever the previous tenant was, they weren't short on income. They left behind food, clothing, and a good supply of firewood for the fireplace. Lorelei had been instructed to stay put in this ghostly abode while her father and his soldier friends went to kill the enemy to save her country. She also wanted to kill the enemy to save her country, but father clocked her upon the cheek. He told her that she would do as he said and stay. With his scruffy black beard, small eyes, and fine bone structure, he was truly menacing, but only to other people. Lorelei knew that he was as soft as a teddy bear. So she lied and waited until the crunching of the soldier's shoes vanished into the whistles of battle.

The girl hurriedly located the kitchen, rummaging through multiple drawers until she found a wickedly sharp 4-inch knife. She already wore a belt she nicked from her father's wardrobe wound tight around her waist. The girl slid her new knife snug into the slip of the belt. One last thing. Just one more item until she could partake in aiding her country. She glided up to what she assumed was the master bedroom due to its immense square footage, and tapped at the floorboards until she heard a hollow "clunk." There was a loose board just as she hoped. Her mother and father's bedroom had the exact same defect at home. Perfect for a hidden compartment, and perfect for dispensing with weapons. Lucking out, Lorelei pulled from the master bedroom and tiny silver revolver. She flicked the chamber open and found that it was full. That was where that string of luck fizzled out. There was no more ammunition other than what was already present in the pistol, a weapon that the owner probably considered useless in a battle such as this.

Shrugging, Lorelei tiptoed out of the house. Cool, smoke choked air clogged her throat when she emerged. There were distant echoes of men's screams. Terrified. Horror struck. If Lorelei focused, she might have heard her own father's mutilated howl. She stood still, biting her lip. Tasting the moment. She had to help. Had to. Had to. The screams halted, and now. Now a girl in white, a girl Lorelei did not notice until that very second, was going to attack her.

 _I will not die a coward. I mustn't._

Lorelei's brow furrowed. Her befreckled nose scrunched in her grimace of anger as she uncovered her face. She whipped the pistol up and shot at the woman who promptly fell in a heap five feat away from the thirteen-year-old. There was no time for relief. To Lorelei's astonishment, the girl bolted upright like she took bullets to the chest on a regular basis. She chuckled maniacally, her gleaming red eyes flashing gleefully. Blood seeped from her bullet wound directly where her heart would have been if she were human. Lorelei swiftly concluded that the black haired beauty certainly was not human at all. The girl made to lunge again, prompting Lorelei to aim her gun once more. What else could she do? Before the madwoman had a chance to take another step, a cut magically appeared across her pretty face. The coppery sent of blood coated the atmosphere as the long line oozed down to her pale collarbone. The girl only grinned wider and adjusted her puffy white hat.

"That is enough, Alucard!"

Lorelei dared to glance over to her right. A boy, perhaps a few years older than herself, leaned on the very wall she pressed against. The blue moon's light parted the night's murky gloom from his features revealing his twisted grin. He held his long fingers out as if he possessed a globe, and if Lorelei squinted closely, she could just barely make out lines streaming from his fingertips. The boy wore elegant clothing, perhaps closely related to a butler's code of dress, mixed with shades of deep purple and ebony. His limbs were spindly as he there was no time to properly grow into them or the wide lipped mouth. Lorelei faintly thought of how vain this boy might be to match his outfit with his mussed black hair and glimmering, narrow violet eyes. He was now looking at her, and that intense gaze alone was enough to make her shudder. Who was this child who could command that beastly woman?

"Good evening, poppet. So sorry to intrude, but my idiot partner," he shrugged his shoulder at the white clad figure with folded arms, "and I were just passing through. You see, he's a bit too eager for his dinner."

"H-he?" Lorelei managed to ask.

"Right." The boy rolled his big, thick lashed eyes. "Alucard insists on this petty form. I'm sure its how he get his kicks. To kill grown men dressed in a girl's body..." Then, as if the boy realized who he was speaking with, "Offense intended." He giggled cruelly.

"What?" Lorelei frowned. Who did this boy think he was. She was Lorelei Richford. She had practiced archery, and in secret, how to shoot a gun, for years all for this moment. All to help fight. Did he think that because she was small and cute that he could bully her?

"Don't hurt the little girl's feelings, Walter. She's a spitfire, that one."

"Says the one who was going to eat her a mere second ago." The boy turned to speak with the jeering girl, who for some reason, spoke with a thunderous masculine baritone.

That was when Lorelei strode over and punched Walter. On the face. With the pistol still in her hand.

"Gah!" The boy, to his credit, barely startled. The wires, that was what Lorelei assumed they were, didn't even slacken. He only shut his eyes, rolling his tongue around the inside of his cheek, and swallowed. In a flash, the boy whipped his lithe body around, caging Lorelei against the wall. She refused to yelp. That blow had every pent up emotion strung into it. All her anger. All her hate. All of her fear. For the boy to take it like rocks to rubber made her insides scream.

"Now what did you have to do that for, hmm?"

The boy's face was close. Their foreheads almost touched, and she could smell his breath laced with liquor and cigarette smoke. He smirked at her, the heat radiating off of his body clashing with her own. She hated him. Hated him with all the will of her thirteen-year-old spirit. She had meant to aid her father. Meant to rescue Britain from the Nazi party. Not just Britain, but the world. She was strong, but she knew she must be stronger. All of her friends and family told her that she was weak because she was a girl both in the mind and body. When she excelled in her studies far above what any boy could achieve, she strove to strengthen herself physically. She worked for this very day tirelessly, and for some wiry wimp of a boy to so easily throw her life's work back at her like some used toy drove her mad.

"I _am_ strong. I can beat you," Lorelei growled.

"I could smash your brains on the flagstones if I so chose without even touching your skin. I could slice you to slivers with only a twitch of my pinky finger. I could be your Angel of Death if I so desired." The boy lifted a lock of Lorelei's long, strawberry blonde hair to his lips, kissing the ends. She gnashed her teeth. "But I'm after larger quarry than a whelp like you. Quarry that you haven't a dream of even cutting with your kitchen knife there." Lorelei, if possible, frowned even more. She thought her knife was hidden.

"The Nazi's? You're after them, right?" She didn't know what to do if this boy was the enemy and she was already pinned like a moth to a board by him.

"Ah, we're not here for the small fry. We are on the hunt for Nazi vampires."

"Then let me help. My father and his soldiers just went north. I'm a decent shot." Vampires? She had seen that Alucard woman be shot and rise again. If the Nazi's had the ability to similarly avoid death, then she wanted to stop them even more.

"Not a chance, poppet. From the scent wafting from up there, that squadron is dead. Probably undead. You've no chance with them. Just stay here like a good little—" Lorelei crushed against the boy's forehead with her own. This time, he did stumble back, letting Lorelei breath her own air at last, albeit with a stinging headache.

"Oh Walter, do you need help? Seems like you have your hands full," taunted the girl in white. She was propped up against a tree, acting amused.

"Shut up," growled the boy. He rubbed his injured head. "What's your name, girl?"

"Like I'd tell you!" She had her gun up again. "I am going whether you let me or not. Get out of my way, and I won't shoot the both of you."

"Not now, soldier girl. Grow up a bit, and then you can write a novel or something to get your thrills." He put his hand down. "Your dead father with thank me for this." The boy, Walter, whooped. Before she could react, Lorelei felt Walter's long fingers on her neck. She straightened, and then slumped. He must have hit a nerve to make her pass out. Stubbornly, she held on to consciousness until the boy clicked his tongue and squeezed the spot one more time.

"Good night, poppet."

Blackness consumed her.

For the next sixteen years, that boy's violet eyes would be the reason she rose in the morning and huddled into sleep at night. Most would often assume that Lorelei was struck down with a specific sickness. Love sickness. Her eyes would become glassy, and a delicate smirk would crease her lips. But they were all entirely incorrect. In her mind, Lorelei would daydream all the ways she would hurt the boy named Walter and his friend called Alucard. She would surpass their taunts. Surpass that moment of weakness when Walter's face was so close to hers, for the tiniest of moments, she felt something other than anger. She would crush that, too, just like Walter took from her the opportunity to fight side to side with her father no matter if he truly did die before she set foot out of that abandoned house. For the next sixteen years, she devoted herself to becoming a vampire hunter. The strongest one alive aside from two others.

…

"Mama, I do not want to get married."

"Nonsense, dear. You are thirty-years-old. The last of the Richford bloodline. I don't care if you're out doing God knows what at night as long as you're going out doing God knows what while you're wed. I need grandchildren, woman. Grandchildren."

"Mama, I have no interest in children, nor do I care for this match."

"You've said that for sixteen years. Don't you think that excuse is getting to be a little old?"

"I'll only break off any engagement proposals like all the other times if you force me into this. Honestly, I'm amazed you haven't disowned me from the amount of times I've done so."

"Don't be ridiculous. You're my only child. And as you are my only child, it is my duty to see you married and secured before I die. You don't want your poor Mum to come back as a ghost and haunt you until your dying days telling you how much you've disappointed her, do you?" Lorelei shuddered. Seeing as she made a living of disposing of vampire drivel, her mother becoming a ghost was not outside the realm of possibility.

"Fine. I'll humor you. I'll see about this proposal Arthur Hellsing has for me, but do not keep your hopes up. I'm a very negative woman, Mama."

"Oye, tell me about it." Mother had a fake tone of exhaustion, but her matronly face framed by straight gray hair beamed with genuine joy. Mother's hazel eyes actually shone. Lorelei loved her mother when she smiled the most, and couldn't resist hugging her.

It wouldn't hurt to see what Hellsing had to say, though she couldn't see why a man from such a wealthy background would find any interest in her. When her father died during the war, her mother had to sell the library and finance company her father owned to keep them fed. They even had to leave their home near London, relocating to the country.

Of course, Mother's family helped and the Richford women wanted for nothing, but still, her lot for marriage wasn't the best for even the lowest county judge to take an interest. Not that there weren't any offers… What no one knew was the nest egg Lorelei squirreled away for her mother and herself from the bounty laid upon the heads of the undead and the occasional supernatural occurrence thanks to her membership at _Defang_. Maybe this Hellsing had someone from her bank relay the funds of said nest egg, and if so, Lorelei would find the snitch and teach him a right good lesson in proper banking. But the mystery was still tantalizingly hovering around her head, and that mystery was what ultimately made her decision to meet Arthur Hellsing (not her mother's ghostly threat.)

Lorelei drove to the Hellsing estate, one hand on the wheel while the other lazily propped her head. There was that night again. The girl, Alucard and the boy, Walter. The violet eyes floating in the darkened sky as his fingers touched her bare flesh, and she fell into an abyss only to awaken on a bed. That was where reinforcements found her. The injured recruits smuggled her back home where she was hit with a combination of angry punishment from her mother and then she was told that her tough and kind father had perished. He was dead. Dead. The grip on her steering wheel tightened, her already pale hand becoming as white as marble.

She made it to the gates of the Hellsing manor three hours later. She rung a buzzer, and the massive structures shuddered open, closing behind her vehicle almost immediately after she passed through. Down the pathway, straight to the carport. Lorelei clicked her tongue. The place was massive, and the guy was obviously full to the brim with money. Did he get funded by the Queen or something? No matter. She exited her sleek black ford and made towards the front door of the manor.

She had known someone was behind her the moment she left her car. The was a faint buzz of human body heat radiating through the current wafting against her bare arms. It was only a matter of when the human wanted to show himself, which was apparently right now.

"Aha! Hello! You must be the charming Lorelei!"

"Yes, that would be me." She turned and was faced with a broad shouldered man. There was a cigar stuck in his mouth like it was a permanent fixture, along with an inane grin. His blond curls had been attempted to be tamed with what could only be massive amounts of hair gel, but multiple locks had escaped their prison, enjoying their freedom in the crisp, morning breeze. He was shaped with the features of a hawk, sleek but wild.

"Ah, good."

"You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I do not know yours." She had a feeling, but she wanted to know from the man himself.

"How rude of me! I am Sir Arthur Hellsing. At your service, my lady." He did a little bow.

"Hmn, should I say I am at yours?"

"I like you already, Miss Richford. I see we shouldn't waste any time with you. I've heard many a tale of your famous shoot downs. I had a friend a while back that serenaded you with his own compositions and—"

"I dumped a trash can on his face? All rumors, I swear, Sir Arthur." The cad had it coming.

"How about we do away with the Sirs? And I'll call you by your given name?" He beamed.

"Deal."

"Then I shall escort you inside." Arthur looped her arm around his. It was large and warm. She found she liked it, but only a little. They trekked a path lined with rose bushes leading up to the main archway cradling a door. Arthur fiddled with the lock and soon they were inside the strangely militaristic threshold. What a stark contrast to the outside, Lorelei mused. She was led over to what could only be the man's office framed with oversized windows. The nighttime view must be glorious in here. She was offered a plush, red cushioned seat where she would have been swallowed whole if she allowed the chair the chance. Arthur took his place behind an enormous ebony work desk and folded his fingers together, peering over them intently. Lorelei met his challenge by gently glaring back. She knew her turquoise eyes could unnerve others and was impressed to see Arthur grinning rather than flinching.

"Now, you are here under the pretense that I plan to make you my wife."

Lorelei's pleasure evaporated. Now she was on her toes. Her hand ached to finger her black overcoat.

"A piece of quick advice, learn to get a poker face." Arthur grinned like a loon. Look who was talking. "And don't worry, I know how that sounded. I'm not threatening you, I'm proposing to you."

"So you really do want to marry me?" Lorelei ventured cautiously.

"To be honest, no. I am comfortable with my whores who can produce children anytime I want to."

Lorelei frowned.

"But a marriage would settle certain people down. Calm the waters, if you will. Lorelei, I am not a man who will grow roots with just one woman nor do I plan on ever being that type of moron. I see that through your rejections of some poor, love sick fools, you are a woman who wouldn't be satisfied with just any man. You also need those waters smoothed, isn't that right? Get rid of the pesky 'I need grandchildren' line from your Mum, hmn?"

"Did you have me trailed?"

"You really should study that poker face."

"To hell with the poker face, just get to what you want or I'm leaving this instant."

"I like you, Lorelei. I like you a lot. So here is my offer. We marry in contract only. I have my whores and you have whatever suits your interests outside of my manor. A whore has a child, and that's both of our heir problem solved. You have a child, there, solved again."

"Ridiculous," she scoffed, folding her arms indignantly. Although she never truly planned on settling down with anyone, Lorelei still thought of marriage as something shared between the two bound in matrimony only. No body else. The deal would have worked, but something niggled at her to refuse. What Arthur was proposing was a waste of breath. "I'm leaving." She made to get up when Arthur shook his thick finger.

"To sweeten the deal!"

His volume was way too sharp to ignore, and so Lorelei plopped back down in her chair.

"I just so happen to share an interest in your…hobbies."

"Embroidery and knitting socks?"

"God, I really do like you. But, no. Not that. I know of your excursions with the undead. Vampires." Lorelei's intake of breath was enough of a confirmation. Perhaps she would work out that poker face after all. "Yes, yes, I am well aware of the supernatural and its ability to bleed into the real world. I understand that you work with limited funding to eradicate the fiends, despite how little you earn in reward. Vampire hunting can drain anyone's personal savings, Miss Richford. You see, Queen Elizabeth herself has been my patron since World War 11 for that very purpose. Think of what more you can do with that kind of money propping you up. Think of the glory. Accept my offer because I'm sure no one else can provide this sort of opportunity for you again. It's either now or never, Lorelei, because despite my laid back nature, I am truly quite impatient." He leaned back in his chair, tapping his pocket watch.

Yes. She was already imagining how she would become stronger (also, she had called it with knowing he was funded by the Queen!). The quest to be on top. To let no man or woman belittle her. Perhaps she was greedy. She knew that was one of her personal flaws, but Arthur was right. The way she fought, the way she became strong, required money. And lots of it. Unfortunately, money equals power. Sir Arthur Hellsing was the one who dangled the temptation right above her grasp, but would she snatch it? Was marriage with a man who told her he would not love her or even stay faithful to her worth all the power, all the deaths of the vampire scourges in the world? Did her resolve break so easily with a monetary incentive, or was she stronger already for attempting to throw away love to rise up and shred all who dare oppose her? Lorelei grinned. She would have laughed if she could have.

"Fine, _Sir Arthur Hellsing_ , I accept your offer."

"Excellent." His golden eyes blazed with triumph. "Then, please do come here." He laid out some papers she duly read and reread, then signed. They shook hands, Arthur's face wild with pleasure and Lorelei already planning how to upgrade her equipment with his money. "Hold out your hand," Arthur prompted. Lorelei held out her hand, and with a sturdy, strong movement, Arthur slipped a silver ring bedecked with a glowing red ruby on her ring finger. He splayed his left hand out to show a matching male version on his own ring finger.

 _Bastard knew I was going to say yes, didn't he. Well played, Arthur. Well played. And I'm sure Mama will be pleased. She'll leave me alone, and I can finally be by myself to protect my country. To become even stronger._

"Good, good. Well now, you must be famished, my dear fiancée." He said this as if they were playing pretend, but the weight on her finger felt all too real. "Let me call for my butler. He'll bring in some nice, warm tea for this cold day." He pressed a button on his desk. " I shall also introduce you to some of my cohorts later. Of course, as my fiancée, you'll be moved in right away."

She nodded, figuring as much.

"Will you tell me how you got into the supernatural fight?' Lorelei asked.

"As long as you share your story. I'm quite fascinated how a comely young thing like you got into an underground movement like _Defang_."

"Surely." The fact that this man was already aware of her membership to _Defang_ should have unnerved her, but she figured that he did his research appropriately and mentally shrugged.

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

"Sir, I've brought a pot of Earl Grey tea as instructed."

"Fine, fine. Do come in," called Arthur. He was still highly focused on Lorelei, who in turn was beginning to relay to him the story of when she was fourteen and found a dealer in specialized bullets filled with holy water at a tavern. The sound of a cart being pushed approached, and then the release of hot liquid into china cups. Lorelei continued.

"I crept out of the house around three in the morning. I was actually trying to find a new revolver since my last one broke when dealing with a particularly uppity vampire. I ran out of rounds so many times back then." A black gloved hand gingerly placed a trojan white cup of steaming tea in front of Arthur. "But I ran right into a member of _Defang_ in a tavern because I aided him in disposing of a werewolf. Once we became familiar with each other, he told me the best way to kill a vampire with a gun was by piercing his heart with holy water, and a werewolf with silver bullets. Either that or decapitating them. That's why I have a sword that…" The gloved hand had settled a cup meant for her on the work desk. She followed the owner of the hand up the arm and to the face to thank him for the delicious smelling tea.

Time smacked her in the face.

She knew Arthur would berate her for how far her face was from poker.

The butler. The butler was no other than Walter, the boy from her childhood.


	2. Part Two: Bienvenido

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, Tied was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Today I would suggest a delicious roasted marshmallow encrusted with graham cracker crumbs and coated with white chocolate on the inside. Perhaps you would enjoy liquor for your shot or chocolate mousse? Do enjoy, and see you on the flip side.

Part Two: Bienvenido

"Mistress, is there something the matter?"

Walter's sinful voice quietly blanketed around Lorelei, and she shuddered from how much changed these past sixteen years.

Lorelei drank in the tall, lanky man before her. The butler was no longer the boy who had pinned her to a wall openly threatening to slice her to pieces. He had shelved that particular tick and instead adopted the pale, calm face of a servant. Long, winter white, and enhanced by the darkness of the shadows slithering around his entity. His boyish features had matured into a sturdy jawline and sharp, narrow eyes. With one hand properly resting at the small of his back and the other at his belly, the butler stared at Lorelei emptily as if he had never promised to be her Angel of Death.

"Please do forgive me! Ah, this man is my dutiful butler, Walter C. Dornez." Arthur had propped both feet upon the smooth surface of his black desk. Loose dirt fell and crumpled next to the papers Lorelei just signed. She squashed her compulsion to swipe the particles off, hoping the butler was peeved at his master's uncleanliness."He is truly the best help a man in my profession could ask for. You see, despite his stick-up-the-ass appearance, Walter here is an exemplary vampire slash supernatural exterminator. Second to only one. You'll meet that paradox of a creature shortly." Arthur raised a blonde brow at Lorelei's obvious discomfort in regards to his butler and nodded. "Unbelievable revaluation about our dear Walter, no?" Arthur gulped his tea and licked his lips, still grinning like a mad man. Walter simply sighed at his master's description of himself.

"Oh. I have no doubt. All one needs is a mask to show one's true self," Lorelei dryly replied. She couldn't help but envision the sharpened sword at her hip hidden underneath her trench coat's tresses, or the guns gloved nicely in their holsters filled with silver bullets. And if it came down to it, Lorelei would relish simply punching the butler with her specially designed silver knuckles. Though Walter seemed only human and silver would not kill on impact like it would with a werewolf, the bastard would still get a broken jaw. She smirked at the mere thought of his perfect skin split and broken.

"Ha! Walter, how can you not like my new fiancée? She sure is cheeky." One more sip of the tea until the Hellsing head completely drained the liquid in his cup.

"Yes, sir. She is indeed," Walter stared at her with lucid violet irises as if he sensed her earlier murderous thoughts,"intriguing."

Lorelei defiantly hooked a finger around her teacup's handle and brought the cup to her lips. She made sure to level her glare straight at Walter and took a pull of the savory tea. He gave no clue as to what was buzzing around inside his skull and only watched her as she finished. How Arthur did not catch any of the clear animosity between his wife to be and faithful butler was duly noted and tucked away into Lorelei's memory. Such pretenses did not fool her. And Walter? Oh, he knew who she was. She saw the tensed muscles coiled like ropes around his bare forearms and the bulge at his throat. The question was why Walter wanted their encounter to be kept a secret.

"Come now. Enough talk. You drank up didn't you, Lorelei? Good. Walter's famous tea warms everyone to the gut." Arthur patted his own trim but solid frame. He glanced outside at the rapidly darkening sky. The oranges clouding to pink and purple and finally, sheer blackness interrupted only by stars. "Then I see it is completely dark out, and I wouldn't be a gentleman if I did not urge Miss Richford to stay for the night in one of the guest rooms." Lorelei blinked. How did it become dark so quickly?

"I assure you, Mr. Hellsing, that I need no such coddling. I've spent many nights driving the country side on my own, and there's no need to start worrying now." In truth, she was stifled in her coat. The fabric acted like an oven, holding onto the sudden amounts of body heat wafting from her core. She grit her teeth and stood. Finding out about Walter changed nothing. She would still use Arthur's money to become even stronger, and Arthur would use her title to keep horny little socialites off of his back. If anything, now there would be no time wasted in finding Walter and testing her skills against that of the butler's. To show him that she wasn't weak. She was not a little girl anymore. He couldn't stop her.

"Please, I must insist. There is an essential part of my Hellsing family I must introduce you to, and he's very particular about the time of day he's seen." Arthur pillowed his hands behind his head. One side of his mouth quirked up.

"Really?" She asked in deadpan.

Walter was moving now, clearing their used dishes. There was a calming method in how he stacked the cups and cleaned the sugar crumbs from the table with a dainty cloth. Lorelei noted that he too glared at the mess his master's shoes unleashed on the unsuspecting piece of furniture. Ha, Lorelei was starting to like Arthur, too. He only needed to kept up torturing his servant.

"You most likely have an idea of what I'm talking about. Come on, girl. I know you're clever."

"I've heard rumors. Rumors of a pet vampire who fought his own species for his master. For fun and a challenge. What was his name? I could never extract that certain piece of information from the vampires I killed. They were always too scared to even utter his name. Never thought my newly acquired fiancé would be the master behind this vampire's leash, however." Lorelei had moved behind her chair, clutching at its back and throwing quick glances at the butler as if he would turn around and bite her.

"Indeed! You have heard true. I am behind this master vampire's puppet strings. Or I say as much," Arthur chuckled and then sobered. "Before we conduct anything else final, I must know that all of my hunting party are at least on fair terms. Not that it matters, you can go at each other's throats as much as you want, but I am practical. I understand the output of progress depends on who likes whom. Or abhors. I need to understand the chemistry a new element like yourself offers if you are to join the team."

"Valid reasons, Mr. Hellsing. I also want to test the waters." She grit her teeth again. "Alright. Where would you like me to stay?" And after some forethought, "Before that, my mother needs to be contacted. She will be delighted in the news of my nuptials." She flashed a sardonic grin, and Arthur finally lowered his feet to stand firmly on the ground.

"Walter here will leave the dishes as they are and escort you to Sector Three Room Six. Don't worry, you'll get used to the manor in no time and Sectors and Rooms will be a breeze."

Lorelei sucked in a breath and almost broke the chair's framing with her bare hands. Alone with the butler? Walter did not expose his reaction to Arthur's instructions and only reproachfully put the tray of teacups and kettle back on the desk and straightened. From that movement alone, he clearly would rather clean the dishes than be left with Lorelei.

"Of course, sir." Walter turned to Lorelei. "Please follow me, Mistress. I shall also provide you a nightgown and overnight amenities. First, to your room." Walter turned and strode pass Lorelei's rigid figure.

"Let me find my 'vampire pet.' Goodness, is that what they call him now? He'd fucking love that." Arthur rose and crossed to the other side of his office. He fiddled with a light fixture set upon the wall until a door popped open from the rose paneling. Of course, hidden doors for the Sectors and Rooms. A breeze my ass, Lorelei thought. "Toodles for now!" And then the man was gone. Poof. Vanished.

Silence leaked into the grand office. Lorelei was well aware that Arthur had been an essential buffer and his nonsensical chatter was actually very helpful. Lorelei turned and saw that Walter had already disappeared from the grand doors. She clicked her tongue and galloped over to peek around the doors to keep from being left behind. The golden hallways made the butler's dark, loping figure easy to spot.

He didn't have that much a head start, and she was agitated that he showed no signs that he ran to shake her off of his trail. Instead of embarrassing herself and calling for him to wait for her, she took advantage of her long legs and booked it. She reached him just as he made a turn, almost bowling him over, only stopping just in time for his silky ebony ponytail to whip her in the face. She would have punched him for old time's sake if it weren't for the unexpected scent wafting from him. Honey and clover. How unlike his dark demeanor.

They didn't speak once they walked side by side. The butler maneuvered his body like a master gymnast while she could only walk in a stiff, robotic manner. She hated how much all of her training fled her limbs as soon as her object of consistent hate was reintroduced to her.

"Your room is here, Mistress." Walter opened a gold handled door, revealing a four poster bed complete with curtains. There was a window with a scenic view of the Hellsing property. Some closets and an adjoining bathroom. Not that bad. The butler held a hand out for the universal gesture of go right in. She stepped in. So did Walter. And the door clicked closed with the both of them. They stared at each other, far too close. Then both adults flung their masks away.

Like an over stretched rubber band, the butler and Lorelei flung themselves to opposite side of the bedroom. Lorelei unveiled her sword while the room became laced with wires. Now there were those blazing violet eyes, that wild hair, and lithe body. Leftovers from the energetic boy. He remembered her. Oh yes, did he ever. She was amazed at how that monocle managed to stay put on the bridge of his long roman nose. How he went from juvenile delinquent to upstanding butler, it didn't matter now.

"I remember you, girl." His voice was intoxicating. Matured.

"And I you." Lorelei hoped that he also noticed the note of maturity in her own voice. She was lucky in the fact that her girlish squeal had honed into the type of harsh whisper that any seductress would yearn for.

"What do you want with my Master Hellsing, Richford?" Walter's usual lilt was imbued with a gravelly tension. He had replaced his white gloves with a black pair. His fingers twitched at the wires wrapped around the bedpost, and she felt one wire graze her stomach.

"Exactly what you heard, Mr. Dornez. I'll be his wife and in exchange, I'll get his money." Even to her own ears that was a little callous, but no matter. She wanted to fight. Her blood sang with the need of it. She didn't know why there was a giddiness bubbling in her stomach at just witnessing Walter's darkening expression, but she wanted more.

"My Master has no use for wives."

"Are you jealous, little butler? Or are you angry that I'll be the lady of the house? That means I can boss you around as much as I want." That there did send a tickle of glee down her spine.

"I don't know what you are planning," Walter ignored her jabs, "but I will find out. My Master has never shown interest in a woman long term before, and he would most certainly not share his fortune with one. What do you have up you're sleeve, Lorelei Richford?"

Her heart gave a painful squeeze at his playing rendition of her name. She brushed it off because at that moment, a wire wrapped around her wrist. Growling, she flipped a switch hidden under the wrist of her coat, releasing a blade. She swiftly cut through the wire and smirked when Walter finally showed bewilderment. She took the moment as her own and barreled over to him. He thrust his arms up, causing Lorelei to tumble. She quickly recovered and kept running at the butler. He tsked and pulled a wire. She was cut across her arm and kneecap. Her temporary pain gave the butler a window to advance upon her, tightening the wires. Unfortunately for Walter, Lorelei had trained herself for her next fight with the Angel of Death. Out came another hidden knife sharp enough to cut through Walter's wires. She slipped free and punched Walter in the jaw. Sadly, not with the silver knuckles. This would have to do for now.

The butler only spat out blood, put out a foot, and tripped the woman. She pinwheeled backwards, and he got on top of her, holding her arms at either side of her body. She cursed herself for dropping her sword, but she had something else in her arsenal. She kneed Walter in his gut, and using the forced of his body weight, rolled him over until she was the one on top. Out came a metal star from the belts crossing Lorelei's chest, and she pressed the weapon to his throat. Victory, but all too soon she then realized that there was also a wire hugging the jugular at her own neck.

They were at an impasse.

"See what you've done," Walter panted. "Now I'll have to clean all this mess up." He didn't sound angry, but excited. He was smiling at her, and that scared the hell out of her.

"You deserve it," Lorelei hissed.

She was not aggravated at their draw. In fact, her ego was boosted that she was able to be that close to besting her arch rival. Thrilled, even. With her body overflowing with adrenaline, she was hyper aware of everything. The scent of sweat and clover. The taste of the wire's copper and her knife's shavings. And how her bottom was cupped against Walter's crotch. It was far too hot down there, and she could feel a certain part of the male anatomy pressing against Walter's pants. She resisted the urge to wiggle and refused to let him know that his arousal, unwanted or not from him, effected her. He was the nemesis. She still wasn't strong enough to best him, and she wouldn't waste sixteen years of training for carnal infatuation. Yet, all she had to do was bend down. That was all.

"You should get off," growled Walter. The smiled was wiped away. His eyes were dangerous even if one was hidden behind a monocle. Strands of his black hair was stuck to the sweat coating the sides of his face. His chest heaved against her weight, a button of his purple vest was undone. Those black gloved fingers were still up, holding the wires in place. She felt the pulse of her body matching his, and again had to resist grinding her hips against his.

"You should put those wires away," Lorelei countered. She was well aware that her coat's front was open. Her breasts were pushed together, and they aspired to escape her v-cut blouse with the help of the beweaponed belts she wore criss crossed around her torso. She wished that they would stay put. Now wasn't the time. Body, please. Now just isn't the time.

"And I should have knocked before I entered."

The two bodies on the floor stiffened. They inched their heads to the right to see Arthur at the open pair of doors.

"But I'm pretty bad at knocking on doors in my own home, so you'll have to get used to it." He crossed his arms, lazily shaking his head in amusement and disturbing his wild hair. He addressed Lorelei. "Here I thought that at the worst I would find you making me socks, not trying to snog my closest friend. Remember, you can have anyone outside of my household."

"I wasn't trying to snog him," Lorelei said indignantly. Arthur continued like he hadn't heard her.

"Now you know why I wanted to overview the dynamics of my team. Can't have you all too attached to each other and sacrificing yourselves when you get kidnapped or something like that. Hmn, perhaps hatred is better than this afterall."

"Master Hellsing, Arthur, this is not what you ascertain it is." Walter quickly untangled his wires and bucked Lorelei off. She fell to the floor with an oomphf. So much for the moment. "We were fighting out some differences, but I assure you, there is nothing between us."

"You both should work on your denials," Arthur clapped, "but I say that Walter's declaration was much better."

"I should say not." Another man joined in behind Arthur. He was nearly a head taller cloaked in a red overcoat, hat, and orange glasses. On his angular face was a perpetual smirk that was directed at Walter. "My friend, a draw, really? Have you become that rusty? You are better than that. Has your fire fizzled out?" He squared his leather clad boots, a slight breeze wafting to flutter his jacket.

"I was merely testing her capabilities without actually killing her in the process." Walter brushed dust from his vest and adjusted his monocle. "If it is vampire hunting you want her for, she will do."

"Not until I have a good fight with her," said the overly large man. Lorelei got to her feet, taking stock. No, he wasn't a man. This creature was a vampire. She had spent enough time hunting the things down to pinpoint when she smelled one. The scent of grave dirt clung to the vampire. She covered her nose.

"Lorelei, this is Alucard, the pet vampire," Arthur chittered. Alucard only smiled as a greeting.

"Alucard?" Wasn't that the name of the female vampire Walter was associated with years ago? She decided to bite the figurative bullet. "You were with the supposed Angel of Death almost twenty years ago, weren't you?"

"She's good," Alucard tilted his head like a predator sizing up his intended prey. "Yes, girl. I was the one in white. You weren't much of a scrap then, but can you fight now?" Alucard grinned manically. His voice by all rights should have boomed, but it was seductive in its threatening nature as Walter's was in his darkness.

"Not now, Alucard. She already had a tiff with Walter. She must be exhausted." Hellsing only sounded a bit concerned, or was he goading the situation?

"Yes, the Mistress should rest." Walter added after a moment's thought. Lorelei ground her teeth. There he went again. Thinking she was weak, hmn? Well, she would show Walter C. Dornez.

"In the heat of battle, do others get a break? No. They keep thrusting themselves into danger and they either survive or die. Break or no. I'll fight with her now. You want me to keep her as a hunting companion, but the ultimate decision is mine. Fight with me, girl. Fight!" Alucard cracked his knuckles one by one.

Instead of feeling the sweep of fear Alucard meant to instill into her, she was ecstatic. It had been too long since she last fought a vampire let alone one that had mastered the art of battle. The adrenaline from her previous bought was still coursing through her blood, and she made past Walter to stand toe to toe with Alucard.

"Nice to meet you, Alucard. I am Lorelei Richford. Let's fight."

Without warning, the vampire kicked at Lorelei's stomach, sending her flying through the window. She last saw the vampire's smiling face, all of his teeth sharpened to points, Walter's impassive sigh, and Arthur's own groan of "I've already replaced those windows. Not agoddamn'gain."

Luckily, they were only on the first floor. Lorelei rolled, shaking off most of the glass clinging to her coat. Alucard was already there. She bolted upright and slipped out the pistols with holy water bullets. Let's see if he can handle getting shot with these. The woman aimed, and using her years of practice, shot the full rounds of each weapon into the vampire's heart, face, and gut. She heard the creature swoon with rapture before the bloody thing reconstructed the parts of his body she was sure she blew to fleshy pieces.

"Yes! It's been too long." The vampire purred. He revealed his own twin guns and pointed them at her. He was completely healed. Not a wrinkle out of place. She yelped, knowing that he truly meant to shoot at her. Then she shrugged. She had shot at him. It was only fair.

Time to book it. She ran around the plot of land consisting of green, leafy plants, of fir trees and maples. There was a fence around the perimeter of the property, so if anything, she could run in circles. But she couldn't keep running for long. Walter and Arthur were both right. Perhaps it wasn't the best of ideas to fight after her tumble with the butler. She had to stop Alucard before he actually hit her with a bullet. Lorelei turned, facing the vampire who towered above her.

"Giving up already?" Alucard licked his lips, ember eyes gleaming with hunger. His chest rumbled with energy. Did she see the flash of an enormous dog?

"Nope." Lorelei chucked her metal stars at Alucard with all of her might. Three made contact with his forehead, another with his shoulder, and one in his left eye socket. He careened backwards and hit a tree, but not before one of his bullets struck the side of her right leg. She gasped at the cold pain ringing up her bones, but kept in control. Blasting his head wasn't enough, so metal stars weren't going to do a damn thing either. She grabbed her chance and snatched her final weapon from her itinerary; a wooden stake. She bolted up to Alucard and slammed the wooden point into his chest. She hit his heart! Or did she? Too late she understood what she was up against when Alucard slapped his hands on her shoulders, jerking his face back down to see eye-to-eye with her, completely unaffected. His eyes were wild, hair unbound and almost alive, and his teeth uncomfortably close.

"You pass," Alucard chuckled.

That's when he struck her face. She flew straight into the trunk of a tree, but refused to black out. She clung to consciousness until a pair of long, warm arms collected her useless body. There was pain, but it was only far away. She could smell clover and honey as she watched the night sky turn into the mansion's ceiling. They entered a new room, surely it had to be a new one because there were no signs of wreckage, and Lorelei was gently placed onto a bed's coverlet. She felt her right leg rip. No. Someone had torn her pants so they could treat the bullet wound and then tend to her cheek. They also cleaned the wounds from Walter's wires. Did they dress her into bedclothes? She couldn't tell.

Lorelei was still accustomed to the stars Alucard smacked into her, so when she was tucked into bed, she couldn't recognize whose voice told her, "I have contacted your mother and told her where you are staying. She knows of your engagement and is overjoyed. Please rest easily, now. And welcome to our dysfunctional family."


	3. Part Three: Compromised

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Mayhap a sandwich today? I have always been partial to cucumber slices on buttered bread with a side of caramel tea. The combination pairs nicely with a small cup of creamed pear soup. Have a pleasant read, and see you on the flip side.

Part Three: Compromised

"What style of dress shall you adorn for you wedding, I wonder?"

Lorelei gripped the handle of her sword until her knuckles became as white as Alucard's fangs. She was becoming more learned at schooling her face into a placid lake of elegance and calm. Anywhere else on her body was another story, and Walter quickly noted that his barb made it home. Relinquishing her death hold on the weapon, she aimed her own brand of verbal abuse.

"My mother insists that I wear a dress at tea length with a sweetheart neckline. It's a popular cut that your Master Hellsing can afford. He's willing to pay all of the events' expenses, you see. The Richfords aren't exactly as top notch as they used to be, and my mother willingly agreed to Arthur's suggestions." She allowed herself an inner gloating session when it was Walter's turn too suppress a glower. He returned his attentions to a tray filled with silverware. The butler was currently polishing a butter knife Lorelei guessed he would have rather launched at her skull.

It had been a full two weeks since Arthur's proposal and the fights with Walter and Alucard. Lorelei left the Hellsing mansion said night immediately upon waking from the bed she had been stuffed into, booking it for the humble dwelling she and her mother shared. She was even more determined to trim up her form if she were to ever kick both Walter and Alucard's asses. Of course, her mother barely gave her daughter enough time to make good on that vow, and had tackled her, milking out every detail Lorelei could provide (sans vampires and the supernatural.) Lorelei was lucky she possessed the good sense to cover any injuries on her face with makeup.

The man her mother spoke with on the telephone the previous night, Arthur Hellsing himself, had given even more depth to the marriage that Lorelei was unaware of due to her own part of storming off without a proper goodbye. Apparently, the wedding day was set in six month's time. Arthur offered for Lorelei to move into the guest wing of his mansion to have his bride to be accustomed to everyday life in the Hellsing household until wedded bliss required the two to merge bedrooms.

"This is where being old fashioned will not do. The Richford bloodline shouldn't dwindle!" Mother concluded after dutifully repeating the telephone conversation. She shuddered with internalized energy as if she drank a large portion of the ground coffee Lorelei hid in the cabinet.

"You agreed to his offer didn't you, Mama?" Lorelei stated as fact more than asked. She was sitting next to her serious mother both amazed at the older woman's boldness, and coming to the conclusion that it didn't matter who wanted to marry Lorelei at this point be it Arthur Hellsing or the milkman. It all came down to those grandchildren.

"I need those grandbabies. Indeed, I said yes! In fact, I took the liberties of finding your father's old suitcases for you to use. They are on your bed. I've already packed some mementos."

 _Called it._

"Thank you, mama. I love you, too."

"Don't give me that tone." Her mother turned. There were tears rimming the wrinkles around the woman's hazel eyes. "I can die comfortably now knowing that you will be taken care of. Give your mother that, at least. Won't you, darling?"

"Mama, really. I love you." They embraced. Lorelei thought of her mother's petty worries while she offered her handkerchief to dry Mother's eyes. Lorelei could do more than take care of herself. There was no need to be scared for her future. She carved it out herself. Yes, she had kept her nights of fighting the undead a secret. As far as her mother knew, Lorelei had been duly sleeping in bed like the tender woman she was suppose to be. There were the occasional bags under the eyes she couldn't explain away, and yet Mother usually shelved those away under the pain of losing Father so long ago. Being free from her mother's watchful gaze to do as she pleased would feel odd, but exhilarating. As for the grandchildren Mother so desired…those weren't coming anytime soon. If there were any, they'd be coming from the mistresses Arthur confirmed he'd interlope with. A flicker of the fight with Walter vividly played back, and Lorelei crossed her long legs. Children weren't on her list of things to do, ever.

"But I'm not dying anytime soon! I'm giving you plenty of time for three healthy whelps. Don't disappoint me!" Mother clocked her daughter behind the ears. They both laughed joyously until the moment Lorelei left to pack. That day, only just a week now, seemed far off. Echoes of her mother's sweet giggles clouded her mind. Her fond remembrances were only broken by Walter's subtle jabs and the clinking of his insufferable silverware. Although the bullet wound from Alucard had just lost its first scab, she could feel the injury sting when she thought of slapping those forks from the butler's hands.

"When is Arthur coming to meet us, anyway?" Lorelei mused. She flipped her sword and began to sharpen the edges, positioning her legs to hold the weight of her weapon. Around one hour ago, Arthur burst into the guest room she now lived in Sector Whatever and Hallway Who Cares. Luckily, she was decent and only reading an article displayed in bold in the newspaper. **Two Dead and Dumped: Left to Watery Graves**. The corpses found were perhaps the seventh and eight located in the murky depths of the river Thames.

"Meeting at the parlor room! Be there in five minutes!" Arthur poked his head in, yelping his order out like an over stimulated siamese feline. Before Lorelei could admonish him for startling her (how had he done that?,) he vanished. She had followed his quick draw instructions only to find Walter in the gray wallpapered parlor sitting on one of the victorian chairs polishing his silver like a proper butler. Not wanting to be near the glum man, she chose the chair at the opposite side of the room where they both took their silent forms of aggression against swords and food-ware.

"Master Hellsing tends to ere on the side of tardiness. He shall be here when he once again recalls that he was the dolt who gathered all three of us into one space." Smug. He was full of it. That raspy, low arrogance that seemed to coat Walter's tongue drove Lorelei to imagine her hands around his throat. How smug would he be choking and gasping for release. His pale checks tinted with a blush. Those damn violet irises clouding not with death, but… Suddenly uncomfortable with the strangely pleasant thoughts churning in her noggin, she hurriedly cleared her mind. _What the hell are you thinking?_

Lorelei glanced at the corner where Alucard eerily surveyed his tentative companions. He had not moved for any of the forty minutes they waited. His orange glasses covered any clue that may have been hidden behind crimson eyes. Ebony hair framing that long jawline and pensive smirk. The blood red overcoat shielded just how pale his skin glowed. Alucard's left hand fingered the grooves of his favored gun. Thump, thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump. He vibrated with unsung energy, causing Lorelei's mouth to become dry. She knew that her spar with the vampire and her minuscule victories were worth nothing. This creature could wipe out countries if he had the gumption. To sharpen his skills to a point aimed only at his own kind and the supernatural was ludicrous. How could he bottle up that much drive? The vampire was a conundrum she wished to figure out later—after she defeated him that is.

"Tardiness? Me?" Arthur flung open the parlor's door, almost sending the door off of its hinges and into the innocent upright piano to the left. He wasn't fibbing when he exclaimed he would not be knocking at all in his own home. "A Hellsing arrives precisely when he means to."

"Don't copy _The Lord of the Rings_ , and if you really have to, at least get the quote correct." Lorelei used a special cloth to complete her handiwork with the sword. The steel gleamed evilly.

"Pardon me, I shall back off of the sacred Tolkien scriptures. Though, we _are_ friends. He modeled the wizard off of me." Lorelei rolled her eyes. Despite her annoyance at the man, he was slowly growing on her.

"So, _Gandalf_. When are you going to explain to this makeshift order of the ring?"

"Yes, Arthur. You have something special for us. Don't you?" Alucard slipped his glasses down to the bridge of his nose. He could have been the devil himself with the fiery energy pouring off him in tidal waves. Alucard was like a hellhound, trained to keep still until his master said _go_. How could the world survive if Alucard was ever set loose? Probably tremble at his insane laughter.

"Glad you asked!" Arthur, dressed in a smart business suit that he flung off leaving a tan vest, promptly swirled the nearest chair around and sat down. He crossed his arms around the chair's back. Walter sighed and set his silverware gently on the seat next to him. He draped one leg on top of the other and folded his fingerless gloved hands on his knees. Today Walter was in a complete black attire. A black ribbon for his hair. A black pinstriped vest and deep gray undershirt. Black boots with black buckles strapped around his calfs. And damnable black pants so tight that Lorelei hoped the memory of her fight with him, the one that made her stomach burn with something unknown, would somehow be deleted.

"Queen Elizabeth just phoned me with a royal task." He let that sink in, but seeing as both Walter and Alucard were bosom pals with the Queen, it was just Lorelei who he was trying to impress. Upon Arthur's request, Lorelei was doing splendidly in the poker face department, leaving the poor man chagrined. "Gah!" He scrubbed a hand across his head. Blonde hair sprung everywhere. "There have been a few murders in Britain. They aren't as easy to ignore as the murderers hoped they would. Due to certain evidence, the Queen has reason to believe that our services are required."

"How so?" Lorelei slipped her sword back at her hip. Good as new.

"The corpses were found dumped into rivers with the official cause of death listed as suicide. But the Queen's coroners have found that the bodies in question all had their throats completely torn out in a matter that suggests fangs did the handiwork. And before you ask, no. The bodies weren't drained of their blood"

"I see. Then could werewolves be the culprits?" She only fought three of the beasts, but they did seem like the bunch who wanted to have a tasty chomp of her jugular.

"That would be a negative, Mistress. Hmn, I understand now. What we are ultimately in the search for are lycanthropes." Walter cupped his chin in thought, his slender eyebrows pulled together.

"I don't completely understand. I thought werewolves and lycanthropes were one in the same." She tilted her head, for once more interested in an answer than kicking the allure out of Walter. Alucard sniffed as if her question were child's play and not worth answering. She ignored him.

"A werewolf is dependent upon the cycles of the moon for his or her transformation. As such, when the moon's conditions are met, the creature is more wolf than man. Reproduction of the species is determinate solely through spittle and or blood transference into a host's bloodstream. Thus why a werewolf temporarily looses its senses when transformed. From the mad chaos ensues more werewolf offspring." Walter absently ran one finger across his soft lips. To the right. To the left. To the right. Lorelei did well with her poker face. "Lycanthropes, however, may transform at any given moment. They do not need the moon for power. In exchange for raw power, their wolf forms are more humanoid and more fragile. The lycanthrope reproduces through sexual intercourse only. If they bite, it is to kill, not create."

"The bodies didn't have blood siphoned from them and they were killed from their throats ripped out most like by fangs. Alright. I understand why you think the culprit wouldn't be a werewolf. Why skip out on potential puppies?"

"Yes, exactly so." Walter stared at her with a hazy, half-lidded gaze. His fingers stopped brushing his lips, and he merely watched her keenly like a predator.

"What is the objective, Arthur? Do you want us to obliterate the wolf pack?" The deep rumbling question forced Lorelei from Walter's devious grasp.

"No Alucard. Not yet. The Queen would rather us perform a bit of recon." Arthur inclined his head at Lorelei.

"I know you just merged with the Hellsing ameba, but I need all three of you to search for the pack of lycanthropes. They are up to something malicious, and we need to find out what."

"Arthur, I cannot possibly leave you alone and without protection." Walter growled.

"Walter, old age has turned you into a stick in the mud. Hell, you used to beg for the chance to leave the mansion and make mince meat out of our foes. Now you're some homebody talking my ear off about tea." Arthur sighed deeply. "You know full well that my armed guard is all the protection I need."

"Whatever is the matter, Walter? Are you afraid of staying alone in a room for too long with that woman?" Alucard sneered at Lorelei. "You could barely handle the handful of seconds we spent here without Arthur."

"That is not the case." The frown on Walter's lips increased. "If anything, I have learned to become more wary of potential threats. As you said, were are not privy to the intentions the lycanthropes strive for. Do not forget that we sufficiently squelched their numbers ten years ago. Mayhap they desire revenge."

"Ugh, you have become too stuffy, Walter. No matter. This is nonnegotiable. I want Lorelei out on the field as soon as possible. I can tell already that I wont be able to hold her back from getting into some kind of trouble. At least I know where she'll be at on my terms."

"So you intend for me to be her bodyguard?"

"No. She doesn't need it. Instead, you three need to develop a working relationship. Drum up some chemistry. What better time than now?" Arthur shrugged as if the opportunity to overthrow lycanthrope tyranny fell onto one's lap everyday.

"I'm grateful for your confidence in my abilities. I'm willing to leave, and I feel as though your guards will indeed be enough protection. Again, I don't think you truly need protecting to begin with." Lorelei shot a glare at Walter for the uncalled for suggestion that he be her bodyguard. Like she'd ever let that happen. "When we find the target and obtain their plans, then what?"

Arthur narrowed his golden eyes. He secured a thick cigar from his vest pocket and lit the end. After taking a long puff, he grinned. Feathers of smoke glided around his face. "Alucard, Walter, and Lorelei will search and then destroy the enemy. Search and destroy, lads."

"Now you are speaking my language!" Alucard guffawed. He took the gun he previously was toying with and swirled the weapon around his fingers. Lorelei was quickly realizing that the vampire was crazy and was going to definitely get them all killed one day. "When will we embark? Soon, I hope. The mansion grows more stuffy day by day."

"Don't worry your black heart, Alucard. You will set out on the morrow. You too, Walter. I see that look. Don't you dare disobey my direct orders." Arthur said in a manner that actually sounded like he _wanted_ the butler to squirm. Impressive.

"Very well, sir." Walter bent to retrieve the tray of silverware on its perch. It clanked in his grip as he stood to his full height. "Then, Mistress, I shall take upon the duty of packing provisions. Take this time to prepare yourself as well. Alucard…" Walter whipped around to face the daunting vampire, "Please, for the love of life, do not morph into that ridiculous form. There's no merit flaunting around in white like a massive target."

Lorelei also left her seat. She breezed past the bickering vampire and butler and only stopped when she reached Arthur. He was enraptured by the heated argument before him, and she had to snap her fingers to obtain the man's attention.

"Oh! Yes, do you have anymore questions?"

"No. I just…I'm not sure if I told you this yet, so I will now. Thank you for the opportunity to obtain my goals. You were right. I never would have been able to become stronger with what I had at my disposal. I was always limited with income and jobs. Mama has no clue about my, erm, sock knitting abilities." She allowed a delicate smile to brush her lips. "I will finally be free to roam and do what I will without risking worrying her. I all had to do was bite down my pride (and some morals) and say _I do_."

Arthur, suddenly taken aback from the tenderness this hard woman consistently exuded, was seized by the urge to take her hand and place a kiss upon her knuckles. For anyone outside peeking in, they might have believed a knight was exchanging favors with his Lady. How wrong they would have been. Lorelei gave one last parting grin, twirled, and left. She did not see Walter's bewilderment and the tightening of his jaw, for he, too saw the mistaken vision of medieval chivalry, and it chilled the marrow of his bones.

Only a few hours trickled by since Lorelei's first official briefing and assignment. She already squirreled away what she believed her mission would need. Clothes, weapons, and food. That's all she would want, right? Feeling slightly warm from her pent up excitement over the possibility of the hunt, she decided to change into nightclothes. Knowing that Arthur had no qualms about barging into a closed doorway, she chose the most modest sea foam green nightgown she owned. The neckline scooped down to adequately cover her breasts with a lacy design cut hanging just above her knees. The boys were out and proud, and there was a might draft cooling her bare bottom. Alright. Modest was stretching it, but it was either the dress or she sleep naked, which she usually partook of before she moved into the mostly male household.

She had barely been able to keep still for these past two weeks. She attempted to train inside of the massive bunker stocked with every possible weapon she could imagine. Bow and arrows, maces, grenades, staffs, all of them were glorious. Day after day she ran three miles in the morning on the track the mansion provided around its perimeter. Then, Lorelei learned about these new weapons she had yet to use in her life for a few hours until she almost clogged herself with sweat. Baths and food came secondary to her. This was a life where she could now entirely focus on her progress, and she reveled in each second. The threat of a looming marriage did nothing to dampen her spirits. She found she was enjoying Arthur's company. Not enough to bed the man, but just to the point of feeling secure in going down that aisle. After testing herself these pasts days, she was glad for an outlet concerning the lycanthrope hunt.

"Lycanthropes…" Lorelei wondered why she never heard of the creatures before. Maybe it was because they were better at being human than their werewolf brothers and sisters. Hell, anyone would be better at being human if the moon didn't forcefully transform them in to howling, furry creatures once a month. She returned to the newspaper on the table telling of the bodies found in the Thames River and sat down. Throats ripped out equaled suicide, huh? Those lycanthropes must have friends in this higher ups.

 _Knock knock_

"Come in," she said, too absorbed in scouring the paper for clues to notice something crucial. To notice that only one person knocked in this household aside from her.

"Good evening, Mistress."

Lorelei bolted onto her feet. Damn. She didn't think to strap her sword to her waist while she slept. All she wore in terms of defense was a lone dagger she kept strapped to her upper thigh. What did Walter want? What was he planning?

The butler slid into the guest room like a fox, and gently closed the door. The butler had not changed out of his previous outfit. Those pants were still undeniably tight. How did he get into those things? Perhaps what was the most shocking was how he wore his hair: unbound. The long, silky strands reached past his broad shoulders, allowing shadows to cover his face. He replaced the monocle with half moon spectacles. The butler looked downright sultry, and Lorelei was unprepared for this sharpest of unexpected weapons.

"Hello, Walter. May I ask what you need?"

Walter met her iron gaze with his own, but not before he deliberately let her watch him admire her own state of dress. Gooseflesh spiked around her neck and arms. It may have seemed cliché, but be damned, the man acted as if he was undressing her with the simple revolution of his violet eyes. Thank God she chose this gown rather than option number two: birthday suit.

"I would like to ask you again," his upper crust drawl purred, "how and why you have ensnared my master? I understand that you are an asset to our brand of faction, and yet to go as far as to be bound in matrimony…I am taken completely aback."

"To be honest, Walter, I don't know." Lorelei felt the fight in her temporarily flicker out. They were having an honest conversation for once. Also, she just didn't have it in her to punch him tonight. "He sent an official marriage proposal to my mother through telegraph instead of the telephone. Everything seemed hush-hush to me. Mama wouldn't even let me see what the note officially said. When I came here, fully ready to reject Arthur, he offered me something I truly couldn't sniff at."

"A title? Children? A chance to take back the Richford name?"

"No. He offered power. How could I deny something I've craved for all my life?"

"I see." Walter stood calmly, seemingly caught under his own racing thoughts. His long hair fluttered from the floor fan on the back wall, and his spectacles flashed menacingly. There was an almost audible snap when he broke free from some internal monologue, and began to stalk closer to Lorelei. She was painfully aware that she was essentially half naked, and try as she might, took a step back.

"W…Walter?"

"Even so," his voice was the shiver one experiences before a plunge, "I will not allow you to harm Arthur."

"Harm? Why the hell would I harm him?"

"You are not aware of the affect you inflict on my Master. He is not a man made for one woman. He must flee to the arms of many to find solace in himself. Converging his all into a single woman will destroy him." Walter reached her until they were only two inches away. She somehow knew the exact distance, too. They were to the centimeter two inches apart.

"I never intended to love him romantically. I don't think I ever will."

"Be that as it may, my master is very charming. I've seen many a call girl fall into his arms. I shall not risk it. No. Lorelei, instead, please…direct what you feel towards me. I shall take all of what you have to give away from him to help the master."

Startled, Lorelei barely slipped on her poker face. Now what did this all mean? Did Walter think of her more than a heated arch nemesis? Because she never once broke free from her unjust hatred of the boy who proposed to be her Angel of Death. This man, though. Now he was throwing things at her she found were harder to dodge than knives. Was he simply providing a warm body for some itches that couldn't be scratched by herself, barring Arthur from her bed, or was it something more?

"Walter," she gulped. Her heart was speeding like she never experienced before. His strong, tight body. The pulse at his throat. His mineral eyes. Those wide, curved hips. All of the details that combined into Walter C. Dornez came rushing at her. She found her stomach dangerously intoxicated from some feeling she has not let touch her from the day her father perished. She shakily reached out and touched the butler's face. It was smooth and a little too hot. He barely flinched, keeping his entire focus on her. In turn, Walter settled his dark clad hands onto her hips. She bit back a cry. Like she was wounded or something, she vaguely thought. Perhaps she was wounded with how much she yearned to close the gap. To feel each other out. How could her enemy, the man she wanted to burn into the dirt, elicit such reactions from her every nerve?

"Walter, do you like me?" She hadn't meant to say that. The mewl just came out unbidden. It was so unlike her, and she was growing to hate this side of herself that Walter need only tap to awaken. But damn it, her whole being shivered, craved for his answer. His eyes became steel, and she knew that she made the wrong move on this battlefield.

"No. I do not like you. Such feelings are I shall take all that you have to offer to protect my master Hellsing."

She closed her eyes. It would be a lie to announce that she didn't almost give in. To pull him to her and transfuse every thought and warped emotion she lived through alone through their joined bodies. God, how she wanted to be that girl. But only for a second. Back came her anger. In rushed the familiar sting of pain and self loathing. Why did she let herself get this far?

"Get out Walter." She withdrew her hand and peeled of his from her hips. Shocked, he cocked his head, eyes wide behind his spectacles.

"Excuse me?"

"Thank you for offering your body, you man whore, but I don't need it without some strings attached, comprende? Though I'm marrying your boss, I do have some standards. So just get out before tomorrow has to get even more awkward for us." She thought she had made some pretty good points. Turning to leave, she was caught and twirled back.

"Let me show you what you're missing out on then, poppet," came the dark, guttural reply. Her heart leaped at his threatening allure.

Walter crushed his lips to hers. The pressure made her dizzy, her vision clouding. Lorelei grabbed the butler's tensed shoulders to keep from collapsing. Sure, she had kissed before, but they were always quick affairs. They were not anything like Walter's absorption of her lips, tongue, cheeks. He had wrapped his arms around her back, pressing his hips to her stomach. The atmosphere crackled with sexual promise, and Walter stole those moments to deepen their kisses. Lorelei could barely breathe. Her chest was tight, and her hands found the solid surface they rested upon to be Walter's chest. With a great, immense effort, Lorelei pulled back and far away from the smirking butler, eyes flashing in the darkness of the guest room. There he was. There was the Angel of Death threatening to take her once again. He never left.

"Get. Out."

"Certainly, poppet. Though I do regret your refusal, you know where to find you break, my eyes are always upon you. Watch your step. _Au_ _revior_." He bowed like a proper little butler and left.

Lorelei locked the door, not caring about Arthur complaining about being locked out of his own rooms. She sat on her elegant bed, a hand at her bubbling stomach. She understood now that the warmth between her legs was actually a fiery wet liquid. Crossing her legs, she snatched a pillow and buried her face into the fluffy texture, ashamed. She hoped to erase the taste of Walter's lips. To eradicate the phantom pressure of those kisses. Cigarettes and honey. She couldn't.

"Damn you, Walter." Lorelei refused to cry, but for the sin of stirring up emotions she had forced into a box with lock and key, she would see Walter pay. She hated him more than ever now. For the power he had over her. For her own weakness. And for his empty offer of bedding her. Gods, the man didn't even like her. How sick was that? Yes. He would pay.

 _He would pay._

And on the other side of the mansion, Walter was indeed paying for his transgression. Face red, hand to his lips, eyes…frightened.


	4. Part Four: Transform

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. If you have the means, then today should be the day to treat yourself. A baked salmon smothered with lemon and lime sauce would do perfectly. With a side salad dressed with the vinaigrette of your choice, there is no way the night will be uneventful. Do savor the story, and see you on the flip side.

Part Four: Transform

They took Lorelei's car. Arthur was convinced that if he loaned one of his recognizable vehicles (partially because they were all emblazoned with the Hellsing coat of arms) that the trio of assassins would be picked out before they could even step foot into London. Lorelei didn't mind. It would be nice to drive on pavement instead of dirt or brick roads in her vehicle for once. What she did mind was the company.

That morning she woke with a blazing headache of which she also blamed on a certain butler. She quickly prepared herself and begrudgingly ate breakfast. Walter graciously served garlic potatoes swamped in steaming butter, eggs bathed with melted orange cheese, and oatmeal muffins slathered with orange marmalade. Cups of sweltering coffee smoked in front of her loaded plate. The food and drink was simply too tempting to not devour and guzzle down immediately. Lorelei ignored the butler throughout the entire meal even though she burnt her tongue twice, and did not offer to help clean the dishes afterword. Arthur kept most of the conversation rolling while Alucard patiently waited in a darkened corner with his luggage. Lorelei silently wished that Sir Hellsing would let all the household chores pile up and become extra moldy just for Walter to clean later. That would serve the cretin right.

"Don't forget the emergency numbers I gave you." Arthur whooped at the ragtag group from the massive manor's porch. He was nibbling on a slice of buttered rye toast and waving his glass of peach mimosas.

"You didn't give us any, Arthur!" Lorelei called back when she unlocked her vehicle.

"Right, now, that's because if there _is_ an emergency, you'd all be dead."

"Thank you for your vote of confidence, sir." Though the sentiment was cast low from Walter's vocal cords, it was if his voice blasted out from a radio. Lorelei flinched from the chills crawling down her arms knowing that this car trip was going to be highly unpleasant. Especially since the length of the trip was estimated around two hours long. She inwardly groaned at her personal torture. How was she going to last with that _butler_ in the passenger seat? To top it off, there would be a highly agitated Alucard shoved into his blasted coffin, aka his luggage, in the backseat. Dirt from his homeland littered the seats, and Lorelei gave up trying to clear away the litter from the upholstery. _I think that we would be suspicious enough if we got caught with a full sized coffin in the back._

"Knock 'em dead, A-Team!" Arthur brushed away Walter's jab, taking a full drink from his glass. Lorelei waved.

With that, Lorelei pulled out of the driveway and zoomed away. She didn't care if Walter thought her a speed demon. The faster they arrived in London, the quicker she wouldn't have to share elbow room with this man who sexually assaulted her. She promptly shoved the nagging thought, _but it wasn't too bad_ , right out of her head. Her trademark coat had been replaced with a gentle teal blouse and black bell bottom jeans in order to blend into a crowd. That didn't mean she was loaded to the brim with sharp weapons, just not as many as she would have strapped on. Walter wore a red leather motorcycle jacket with matching wicked red boots. His hair was up, and there was no sign of face wear. Sure, he'd blend in like a tiger would amongst spotted cattle.

Lorelei rolled her window down placing an arm on the metal rimming. The sweet scent of the country wafted through, calming the jitteriness of her nerves. She'd never been one for blushing and fussing about for a man. She was not going to start now. First thing was first. She had to start a conversation to show that he had no iota of power of her. That's right. None.

"You must enjoy Alucard's seat right now." Walter murmured under his breath. He glanced at with half lidded violet eyes. That expression alone unnerved her.

"What? You mean the coffin?" Again, Lorelei was stumped. He beaten her to the punch and then some.

"Yes, I do mean the coffin," came the soft reply. He lazily returned to staring out of window, watching the country swiftly glide by. Lorelei took the chance to scan his lithe body while he wasn't looking. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Then, no. I'd rather be driving than stuffed inside that thing. I don't know how Alucard stands it."

"Then, if you despise Alucard's housing, why are you driving like you cannot wait to acquire one of your own?" Her jaw tightened. Face the shade of dry fire.

"If you keep talking to me for the remainder of this car ride, then you will get a brand spanking new coffin yourself," growled the frustrated vampire hunter. She pushed down on the gas, going as fast as she dared on the uneven country roads. Pebbles and dirt flew from her tires haphazardly, and she felt satisfied when Walter's smirk briefly slipped.

"Very well, Mistress."

The three misfits arrived at their boarding hall in half the expected time thanks to Walter's taunt. Not a word was spoken during the reminder of the drive. They all decided that the best course of action was to rent only one room. If they took up the least amount of space, then there would be least amount of chances any suspicions being cast their way. Yet again, Lorelei believed that Alucard's damn coffin in itself would produce a moving bullseye whether they had one or two rooms rented. The staff in charge of heaving the huge structure were already chittering to themselves about whether there was a death in the family or if Walter and Lorelei were into necrophilia. Lorelei mentally clucked at them, but had to admit she would have drawn the same conclusions if she had no knowledge of vampires and werewolves and was staring at some crazies heaving a coffin into their rooms to stay overnight.

When the staff finally let go of their curiosity and left Lorelei and Walter to it in their one room, they both heaved a well deserved sigh of relief. As Lorelei took a gander at their new surroundings, Walter strode to the corner where the coffin placidly stood. There was a battered writing desk shoved up against one side of the room, two ratty lamps that barely lit a radius of two feet, and two single beds covering in the type of bedclothes that one would expect to be scratchy. She shuddered at the upcoming uncomfortable feelings guaranteed to occur tonight, and she wasn't thinking about those blankets. The room was linked with a toilet but no shower or tub. Geeze, what use was Arthur's cash if he sent them to dives like this? But then, Lorelei remembered the sense in staying low on the radar by hiding out in the trash of London.

"Wake up, Alucard. We mustn't waste any time."

"Don't you humans need to eat? Let me rest in my slumber," came the harsh voice from inside the wooden structure.

"Mistress and I will eat while we gather our bearings. Don't forget the whole reason why we brought you instead of leaving you to protect Master Hellsing."

"What _was_ the reason?" Alucard lazily replied.

" **Alucard**." The tone in Walter's voice was dangerous. He began knocking on the coffin with forceful poundings of his fist. Lorelei flinched and then shook the odd feeling of fear from her skin. "The faster we find them and figure out their plans, the faster you can _eat_ them."

"Honestly, Walter, Arthur was right. You've become so boring. Fine. Stand back. And stop that knocking." The coffin shook until a white gloved hand slid through an opening gap. An arm followed, then a torso, and finally legs. Arriving like the King of drama, Alucard slipped easily out of his coffin. He was wearing a black suit, a ruby red tie, and ironed black pants. The clothing fit snugly, and the attire seemed to glow with an odd radiance he did not posses before with his usual red outfit. His hair rest upon his back in straight nighttime swaths. His sunglasses remained the same, orange tint and all.

"Why do we bother to fit in? I don't think its possible, guys." Folding her arms, Lorelei shook her head.

"Recon is not in our job descriptions. I am of the same notion you posses. We are unable to sufficiently 'fit in,' and yet we must follow Arthur's orders, and as such, the Queen's." Walter held up a finger as if to clarify his point.

"You, woman, are not as covert as you think you are, either." The vampire smirked. She saw his eyebrows pop over the sunglasses as he scanned her body. "You are a beautiful creature. Eyes will be drawn to you no matter what clothes you use to cover yourself."

"Oh." She felt heat spark on her cheeks. Holding a hand to her face, she was startled into a genuine smile. "Thank you, Alucard."

"Back to our current situation," Walter interjected, frowning. Lorelei talked over him.

"I was actually wondering."

They both shut their mouths, waiting for either to speak. After a few seconds of silence, Alucard sighed.

"You, woman, you start first."

"Right, well, I have ever only dealt with werewolves. I knew how to distinguish them from other humans because their jaw lines were more square, and their pupils had a tendency to become slits when they were over excited. You two said that you slew many lycanthropes ten years ago, correct?"

"Indeed." This was Walter. Realizing that they weren't leaving anytime soon, he plopped down on one of the scratchy, minuscule beds.

"Well, how did you figure who was your target versus who was a normal human?"

"I can scent them." The vampire shrugged. "This was why Arthur demanded I was taken with you. The lycanthropes emit a certain odor that I can immediately detect. I akin the stench to wet canine." He wrinkled his nose.

"May we commence on our escapade? I fear I may drift into sleep."

"If I can't sleep, Walter, neither can you." They bickered until Lorelei broke the men up. Now, it was time for business.

The trio left their boarding area one by one as to escape notice. Lorelei headed briskly towards central square and trolley stations. Walter slipped over to Parliament and palace grounds. Alucard took Scotland Yard and the underbelly of the city. At each designated spot, the individuals were to circle in a twenty foot radius expanding another twenty feet after an hour. The method was tedious, and they had to be on their toes. Each were in possession of a private radio line. If Alucard caught a whiff of wolf, he would raise a warning. If Walter or Lorelei sensed or suspected the enemy, they would promptly call Alucard to confirm or deny said suspicions.

Working the rotation was tough. They spent three days trying different locations, expanding and then contracting. She knew she was only meant to locate and interrogate the lycanthropes, but that didn't mean she could stand watching creeps beating their children or drunks feeling up their supposed friends. Being caught and targeted was not an option. She was certain the minor offenders were not related to the supernatural, and yet the way they treated their fellow human beings was atrocious, as if they were the true monsters. She had to quell her fury multiple times. Her mind became so clouded with guilt from simply ignoring these crimes that the only way she could focus on finding her supernatural enemies was if she fed a nickel to the phone booths and gave the police anonymous tips from what she saw. Only then would her stomach settle, and she could scamper off to complete a rotation.

"You are not being covert. You are aware of this, yes?"

It had been a full week since they began the hunt. Every night or odd morning, Lorelei would collapse into her bed, not even noticing the scratchy fabric. She used the communal bath house next door to clean the grim nights out in the city yielded. Usually, she would be the only one in the room to catch some sleep. The way the radius search was conducted left it so that they had eyes in the city constantly. Tonight, however, Walter was in the room reading a newspaper. He was laying on his bed, pillows propping him up. The butler was dressed down into a white tank top and sleeping trousers. For some reason, seeing the man with white socks on felt too domestic. Like a father in bed ready to read his child a nighttime story. That did _not_ fit with Walter C. Dornez. The lamp was on, but Lorelei wondered how in the world Walter could read the paper in the crap light the lamp did manage to emit.

"What do you mean? No one has confronted me. I've been sticking to the shadows."

Damn. Lorelei really wanted to peel off her clothes and slip into bed. After the incident where Walter basically offered up his body like some slice of juicy meat, she switched the type of nightwear she wore. Long legged pants and a long sleeved button down shirt. She told herself that it was getting colder out, and that was why she purchased them (even though it was summer.) She very well couldn't change now. Not with the butler watching from under the very same spectacles from that night. And there was that odd tick. The one that told her to slip a finger under the elastic of Walter's sock, removing the article of clothing.

"Here." Walter folded the paper and held it out to her. She hesitated only a moment until she took the few steps required to cross the room and swipe the paper from the waiting man's hands. She retreated back to her bed and sat on its edge. Shaking the paper from its wrinkles she read: _Anonymous caller has put a stop to multiple crimes the past three days. The female caller put an end to Luduric Vanholt's drunken assault upon his family, which, as his wife confesses, occurs on a nightly manner. The caller successfully brought attention to a famous prostitute ring leader and the police used her information to corner and arrest Ernesto Delores._ Lorelei immediately slammed the paper down. She was pretty sure what else that anonymous caller put an end to.

"What makes you think that was me?"

"Intuition, Mistress."

"Intuition won't cut it. You are just glum that 'someone' has made more progress for the betterment of human kind."

"There will not be a 'betterment of human kind' if we are caught and the lycanthropes are made aware of our plans."

"How can you keep a blind eye towards a child being smacked by her uncle?"

"By understanding that once the vampires and supernatural of this world are terminated, she can at least grow up relatively safe, thus the priority of the matter; we must take down the lycanthropes."

Both adults were standing now, fists balled up. Neither were equipped to fight one another. Lorelei took off her straps of weapons, and Walter's wires were no where to be seen. They were about to resort to fisticuffs, or something else physical, when Alucard passed through the wall.

"Alucard! For dear God, you know nothing of espionage!" Lorelei bemoaned.

"The way you two were taking turns at one another, I'm sure you wouldn't have noticed me. Yes, and by the way, _neither of you were making progress_."

Lorelei and Walter immediately came to their senses. Walter spoke first. "Do you mean?

"Yes. I found the lycanthropes."

"Why didn't you radio us?"

"I did. No one answered. So I assumed that, just perhaps, you two were making peace." Alucard raised his eyebrows slyly. "One can only hope. But my suspicions were only half right. You two are honestly worst than cat and mouse."

"That doesn't matter." Walter walked closer to Alucard, his bare stomach making occasional appearances from under his white tank top. "Where did you find them?"

"A specific boarding school, Windlesham."

"But Windlesham is famous. Why would they chose a location for their base that could potentially be highly publicized?" Lorelei mused out loud.

"Their coveted and valued position as one of the most prestigious boarding schools is exactly why the lycanthropes secured the area. What else did you see, Alucard?"

"Some parents and potential students arrived and entered into the school." The vampire sauntered over to Lorelei's bed and sat down. She intentionally sat with him, leaving Walter to hunker down on his own mattress. She noticed that Alucard did not have body heat. In fact, he was a little chilly to be so close to. "Four fifths of the parental guardians and their charges left in tact. The other fifth, well…they never came out. I found the exchange deserving of my attention and scented the plot of land Windlesham rests upon. The place is covered with the stench of those dogs." He titled his head curiously as if recounting what came next puzzled him. "After three hours, when it became dark enough, the dogs carried out black, human shaped bags, and drove off with their plunder. The bags came in couples, and all were adult sized."

A communal silence blanketed the trio. They were all thinking one thought.

"They're killing off the human parents and then kidnapping the newly orphaned children," Lorelei whispered. Saying it out loud and finally pinpointing where the target was did not make her feel any better. In fact, she was buzzing with the need to wring their necks. She lost her father to a war. He died fighting for his country, and yet Lorelei missed him dearly even when time passed. What did those poor children have to go through knowing that their parents, both of them, were taken forcefully?

"That still doesn't explain how they are affording to be slapdash and tossing dead bodies into the Thames." Walter bit down on his thumb, trying to compose a plausible reason. True. Leaving the bodies hither and thither was only gaining the group attention. Wasn't that bad? Or was that the goal?

"Does the reason truly matter? To stop the increase of corpses, all we are required to do is eradicate the lycanthropes." If possible, Alucard's fangs quivered with anticipation. Lorelei watched in awe. She'd never been that close to a live vampire whose fangs couldn't figure out what size they wanted to be. All the vampires she slew were weak and barely had a point to their teeth. That and they were dead from her weapons by the time she inspected them closely. Walter shook his head at the eager master vampire.

"Normally, I would agree. Master Hellsing, however, wanted us to retrieve information _and then_ annihilate." His tank top was askew revealing creamy, warm skin. Lorelei tried to focus on Alucard's teeth in order to avoid dashing over to the butler and straightening the fabric.

"How will we get into that place, then? It's not like we could pretend to have a child to kidnap." Lorelei was never one for sneaking. She fought like Alucard and like Alucard wanted the cretins dead for those poor children's sake, but even she understood the gravity of discovering what the lycanthropes were plotting. The vampire in question straightened. He began to chuckle softly to himself. Then, low booming bursts from his chest increased.

"Oh God," Walter groaned seemingly out of nowhere.

"What?" Lorelei faltered. She watched the secret messages flickering from Walter to Alucard's faces.

"I swear, don't you even think it. _No_ , Alucard"

"Alucard, _yes_."

…

"Remember to be on your best behavior, _Allie_."

"Aren't I always, Papa?"

Lorelei wanted to slap both of her companions, but resisted those extreme urges. That would break any type of ruse they were attempting to pull. What was the ruse, exactly? Well, for starters, Alucard was now a girl. Yes, he was now a she. Lorelei already was aware of his special ability to switch sexes, but when he shrunk from the terrifying, wide shouldered man to a more soft and miniature version of the woman she saw sixteen years ago right before her turquoise eyes, now that was a different experience.

To make matters worse, Lorelei had to be the one to go shopping for the vampire's clothes. He had produced a replica of the white suit and coat combination from so long ago, and both Lorelei and Walter insisted that he, or she, would not be the type of student the prestigious Windlesham would want to acquire. So Lorelei dragged the little brat over to a quaint apparel shop by the hand. Girl Alucard's figurine hand almost slipped from her grasp more than once. Lorelei couldn't quite handle how to keep hold. She never had a child before or even tried to interact with one. She recalled how her and her cousins would play fight and make the most frightening ideas come true with a child's bravery.

Luckily, Alucard still had all of his previous adult senses. Unfortunately, he still sounded like a fully grown man. In turn, Lorelei did all the talking while she purchased a frilly emerald dress with matching gloves and shoes with Arthur's cash. She briefly wondered what the man would think about her buying little girl's clothes. Dashing the thought, the two then found a mean looking mauve dress suit for herself, which would be perfect for what the trio were planning. She returned in her new attire to the boarding area with the dolled up Alucard in stow to find Walter adorning a crisp white suit, white dress shoes, white gloves, and a lilac tie.

"Time for the final touch up." Walter motioned the both of them over. Lorelei stayed planted in her spot while Alucard basically skipped over, looking as bright as a button.

"Walter, how are we going to cover up the fact that Alucard still sounds like…Alucard?"

The butler was braiding Alucard's long black hair, producing a crown of braids around his head and leaving two side locks to create shadows around girl Alucard's face. The style effectively covered most of the child's blazing reds eyes. In a brief pause, Walter then decided to add his spectacles onto Alucard's face. If Lorelei didn't know any better, she would have believed that a beautiful father and daughter moment bloomed forth for her vision alone. Her eyes narrowed. Those dolts.

"Simple. Our _daughter_ has been a mute after a traumatic incident, and yet she is unnaturally brilliant. We wish to take her to Windlesham in order to draw out her voice, and if she is still unable to speak, then at least her education would be exquisite."

"We would not have to deal with such backstories if we only went in and killed every one of those mutts." Just like that, the illusion of Alucard, a porcelain doll, shattered. No mirage of such nature could last after Alucard's booming male vocal cords had their way.

"I shall not explain again why we are going through such lengths for information. Just don't get that dress dirty. And you," Walter pointed at Lorelei, "come here. I need to fix your hair."

"My hair is fine."

"Will you just listen to me for once? As much as society frustrates me, you still must have your hair up, seeing as for this undercover scheme you shall be married. And to me, no less."

"Fine."

Lorelei huffed, walking over to the man, and sat down with her back facing Walter, blushing from their fake marriage. He immediately got to work. His long fingers searched for purchase in her strawberry locks. An unbidden image of the butler pulling her hair whilst on top of her, his hips gyrating and locking with hers came to mind. Moans of explicit pleasure melting into her skin, leaving a hushed glow. She stiffened, ashamed.

"Keep still," Walter whispered into her ear from behind. His breath was hot and clung to her shoulder. She resisted twisting away and stayed put. Those fingers french braiding her hair relaxed her more than she was prepared to admit. She glimpsed Alucard on her bed, staring at her. Although most of his…her face was covered, Lorelei could see the child's clear amusement.

That was all Lorelei could think about. Walter's hands and Alucard's 'I-know-something-you-don't-know' smirk. Even when all three of the group were perched on Windlesham's doorstep, pressing the school's admittance bell. They didn't know what they would find or who would answer, but the uncertainty wasn't on her top priority list as it should have. Damn these two, cluttering her otherwise steel trap mind. She placed a shaking hand on her "daughter's" shoulder. Walter draped an arm around Lorelei's waist to complete the charade.

"Oh, good evening. You three must be the Birchshires. Please, do come in."

"Thank you," Lorelei heard Walter offer.

The makeshift family came inside. Portraits of past headmasters lined the hallways laid with red, woven carpets. Light fixtures modeled after lion's heads lit the group to where Lorelei guessed they were ultimately going to find themselves; in the current headmaster's office. The man who greeted them, a brunette with fine shaped biceps and green puppy dog green eyes, clapped his hands. He was very handsome, and his chipper personality was endearing.

"Please, do let me take you to Headmaster Socrates. He is very interested in your darling Allie." The tall brunette bent down, rumbling his gray turtleneck sweater and black dress pants, and waved at Alucard. To his credit, Alucard did well in shyly waving back. The attendant straightened and ushered the trio into exactly where Lorelei previously guessed. The room located straight down the luminous hallway and to a right after four other rooms. "Mr. Socrates, our guests have arrived." The attendant called through the door.

"Splendid. Please send them in."

The attendant opened the office door and held out his hand in indication that they may enter. As they filed in, the attendant winked at Lorelei. She blushed and flicked her french braid at the man. He closed the door just in the nick of time, avoiding the attack altogether.

"Hello, Birchshire family. Please, please do sit." An imposing man from behind a large mahogany desk jovially waved his hand at three chairs set before him. This man's eyes were a warm shade of honey, and he could have only been in his late thirties. Could this man be the one to look out for? "I apologize for only wearing my undershirt to this meeting. We do not usually greet potential students so late, but seeing as you insisted so strenuously because of Allie's conditions…" He shrugged. "In any case, would you three like some tea?"

"Thank you very much for accepting us at this time. We did not want our poor Allie overwhelmed with questions from other students. At least not until she does enroll. And, no thank you for the tea. We only just finished dinner at Rules. The blood pudding simply filled us all out." Walter crossed his legs in the thick wooden seat he just sat down in. Lorelei and Alucard sat in separate similar seats, but held hands to further convince outsiders that they were indeed a family. She was sure Alucard was just dying inside from the pain of trying to act like a little girl.

"Nonsense, I insist. Garner, my attendant you see, is a magician with the tea leaves. At least let me order you three one pot to wet your whistles." Socrates pressed a button and spoke into it. He released his finger and then leaned forward to take better stock of his visitors. "Now, I see here that you with to enroll Allie in our middle school boarding program. How old is Allie again?"

"Ten, Mr. Socrates." Lorelei answered.

"And you intend, if all goes well, to continue her education into the senior studies." Walter and Lorelei nodded pleasantly. Walter began to asked questions such as the monetary rates and percentage of success in students compared to other schools. Lorelei took her chance to survey the surroundings. There was a bookshelf housing what seemed to be normal titles. Windows revealing the boarding houses that separated the males and female students. Lights illuminated the square from the night, so she could clearly see a few instructors patrolling the plot. The papers on Mr. Socrate's table seemed mundane enough. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But Mr. Socrates could be hiding something. The way his golden eyes flashed was enough indication for her.

Garner eventually entered to serve the promised pot of tea to the guests. Lorelei almost reflexively reached out to take a cup and drink it, but caught herself just in time. The tea Mr. Socrates ordered could be poison. Best not to chance it and follow Walter's lead.

"Do please try the tea," Garner pushed with a sweet grin. "Here, I also brought a cup for Mr. Socrates." The dawdling brunette placed a saucer right in front of the salt and pepper haired man.

"Why, thank you dear Garner. I wouldn't know what to do without you." Socrates hastily sipped the steaming liquid and only stopped when the cup was presumedly empty. He smacked his lips giddily. "Magic, I tell you, friends. Magic." The headmaster daintily scooted the teacup away. Again, Walter, Alucard, and Lorelei put up their hands to politely refuse the preferred tea. Garner gently smiled, taking the refusal well. Mr. Socrates continued with his speech, clearing unaffected by the tea. Maybe they could have had some?

"Now, the semester begins…"

Socrates bent over his desk, eyes wide, and then passed out on some important financial papers, drooling like an infant. Before the trio could react, the chairs they were so leisurely sitting in, flipped restraining straps of metal over their wrists and ankles. They were tight, and none of them could move. Lorelei felt utterly helpless.

"Don't worry about good 'ol Socrates." Came a bone chilling chuckle. Garner slipped over to the trio's vision. "He takes his sleeping teas very seriously. He'll be up by morning. You two, however…" Garner stalked over to Walter and flicked his nose. Walter bared his teeth and almost growled when Garner strode over to Lorelei and stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry, love, but you both need to go night night. You've both walked into a trap you cannot escape, but it's mostly your fault," Garner cooed. "You brought us your perfect daughter. A daughter who cannot speak, and for her own good, won't ever again."

"What do you want?" Lorelei acted her part. She forced a measure of fear into her voice.

"Oh, you wouldn't know what I, _we_ , are doing even if I spent all night trying. You wouldn't believe me." Garner cupped one of her breasts, rolling a thumb over her nipple. She yelped and attempted to kick the man where it's hurt. He jumped away, lazily laughing at her rabid anger.

"Do not touch her!" Walter snapped. She saw he was itching to use his wires.

"I so wish I could, but we need more bodies for Thames. And I don't want a woman who would try and escape. Sorry, but I prefer them brainwashed."

Garner's words were puzzling, but she didn't have time to decipher them. He grabbed a cup of tea, plugged Lorelei's nose, and forced the contents down her throat. She coughed and spluttered, causing half of the liquid to land on her suit.

"Tsk, tsk. Now you might wake up too early, and I don't have more tea to make for you. I suppose that will be your fault, too, when you open your pretty eyes and see it happening." He was talking as if he was speaking with a child. The only 'child' in the vicinity was doing his part and silently crying. Lorelei wondered if the act alone was costing Alucard some of his dignity.

"What are you talking about? You're speaking in riddles."

"Do you really think I would fall for what you're trying to do? Tell you my plans and risk that if you escape that you'd tattle? That is one trope of a villain that I will not fall into. Besides, I already am aware of your do good ways, Missus Birchshire. You are the one who got one of my agents named Ernesto in-prisoned, Miss Anonymous, star of the papers. Not that I truly enjoyed allying myself with a pimp, he still proved himself as useful"

Lorelei avoided Walter's glare from the other chair. That was in the past now. She had done what she thought was right. And in the end, this was what they wanted. Garner forced tea into Walter, who had even less than Lorelei.

"You two have been very naughty. I suppose it is only fair that I take your charge away. You have been deemed unfit to raise such a sweet little child." Garner patted Alucard's head, disheveling the intricate braids. "Now, would you two please just go to sleep?"

Before Lorelei submitted to the toxins rushing through her system, she saw Walter slightly nod. She lifted one corner of her mouth.

Good. Alucard was in. Now, all she and Walter had to do was live through the night to learn what the vampire would soon uncover.

Darkness took over, and the last Lorelei saw was Walter mouthing something to her. What was it? Oh, that's right. She frowned.

 _Poppet._


	5. Part Five: Consequences

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Tonight, if you are in the drinking mood, I would suggest a Bloody Mary. Maybe it's a bit crass to drink such a thing after such a story, but I truly believe the sodium from the tomato juice accompanied by the sharp heat of the alcohol would be a pleasant sensation. Cheers. Have a wonderful read, and see you on the flip side.

Part Five: Consequences

Alucard did not align himself with the likes of sneaking. He much preferred surprise attacks, bursting through an enemy like a heated knife through flimsy flesh. He wanted to give his foes no time to weep. No time to pray to insufficient gods for an appeasing afterlife. If Alucard was to be an enemy's grim reaper, then he wanted to take everything, even the insignificant moments spent realizing that life would no longer go on. That was what was expected from him. Nothing more, and nothing less. And yet, the master vampire found himself inside a boarding school dressed as a demure little girl. His ego was bruised to tatters. If it weren't for his loyalty to the Hellsing clan, to Sir Arthur, all upon this land would be scorched from the earth just to gain back the grit he lost. Sure, he could fight his damn best as a woman, but he was never expected to act like one.

"Come on, sweet thing. Time to introduce you to your fellow classmates." Garner gripped Alucard's upper arm in what he assumed the wolf believed was a painful hold. The vampire master severely longed to rip out any of the wolf's arteries with his throbbing fangs making Garner's body similar to those corpses found in the Thames. Refraining took more from him than he thought the act would. No. He must locate all of this facility's secrets. Once those two dolts made it out alive and came to retrieve him, then he would have the pleasure of his bloodbath he'd being lusting after. This hope is what convinced Alucard to sniff a couple more times for good measure, rubbing his rather tiny fist across a tear tainted face. Pigs like Garner would eat this shit up. Lo and behold, he did.

"Come on, sprite. You should be excited. We will be your new family now, doesn't that make you glow with joy?" The deceitfully sweet Garner tugged at Alucard's arm again to the outside, propelling his body roughly forward. The leather buckle shoes he wore caught on a rock as they made jerky progress to what Alucard assumed were the dormitories. Alucard almost fell flat on his face thanks to Garner's manhandling, but was roughly held up by the arm, thanks again to the twat's manhandling.

 _I'll make sure to have yours be a savory death, Mr. Garner. You'll gaze upon my face and know of your sins._

"Here you are. Come now, in with the others." Garner shoved a hand into his pants pocket to retrieve a ring of silver keys. Alucard observed as the brunette slipped a key encased in an onyx cover into the dormitory's keyhole and jiggled the lock. A mental clink brought a smile to the wolf's soft pink lips. He replaced the keys, turning the knob. Bright light cascaded from the building, and Alucard did not need to act when covering his eyes. Though the blasted invention of light bulbs did not match the intensity of the damnable sun, the light produced still seared his sight upon first contact. Candles were at least easily distinguished. He bit the inside of cheek to keep from growling in his displeasure and tasted his own blood.

Three novices bustled out of the drab brown common room draped with boring portraits of fruit in bowls and lined with stiff chairs and sofas. The novices were obviously lycanthropes. Well fed, a straight backed composure, and, yes, they smelled like dog shit. Disgusting. Alucard didn't bother to take note of their names, what they looked like, or even if they said anything to him. He was simply passed from one caretaker to another with the understanding that he now resided in the female residency while he was not allowed to step foot out of the building unless instructed. Strict punishment or death could follow any attempts to escape. Something about cutting out his tongue. Flaying him. So on and so forth. He mentally sighed. These people were boring. Maybe he wanted Garner to come back to fuel his bloodlust some more.

"And that's not to mention if you try to sneak into the male dormitory. That act will not be tolerated, and your life will be forfeit if you follow any folly there," said one of the faceless female lycanthropes. This one had a nice jugular and some pretty blonde hair that framed the artery's pulse. "You're a lucky one that you're mute. Stay that way, and you'll find a good home here. For now, let us get you to a bed. You must be weary."

 _Sure, weary. Just a child who supposedly witnessed her parental guardians forcibly be drugged and taken away. Not to mention threatened by the possibility that her tongue could be carved out for not curtsying. Damn, Arthur better fucking love the shit I uncover here. Better yet, these shits better taste more appetizing than they smell. If I drink blood that tastes like wet dog, then this whole escapade wouldn't be worth my time._

"We've prepared a mat for you. There's some blankets and a pillow on top. The other girls will fill you in. Now stay in this room and sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day with classes" The implied _or else_ hung in the air. Alucard went inside, already fed up. The dorm was compressed with three bunk beds jammed inside. Not much room for personal possessions. There wasn't even a window to whiff some fresh air. Like promised, a mat was set in the middle of the floor. There were two girls slipped into a bed each. They were all human. Only until the echoing footsteps of the lycanthrope novices completely vanished was when three girls hopped out of their sleeping area, all with bare feet. They surrounded him as if they were going to tackle him. Instead, they just sat cross legged in a circle around the new arrival.

"Hello," whispered a girl with eyeglasses as large as her entire face. She had yellowish skin, and was probably from Greece or Turkey. Alucard told himself that he had to play along. To just play along. These were children, not things he could chew on. Besides, some of them were kind of adorable. But only a little. Keeping with the mute agenda, Alucard waved and then motioned to his throat.

"You can't talk?" Asked Glasses. Alucard nodded. "Okay. Umm, did they take your Mum and Dad, too? All you have to do is shake your head, and I'll understand." Alucard nodded again. His hair was almost completely free of the braids Walter affixed it to. Glasses stared at her pale knees from Alucard's answer. Her lower lip trembled. See? This was why Alucard didn't care about information. He had to save the brats. How could he save brats if the dicks doing the kidnapping were still up and running?

He mimed pointing through the door towards the novices, giving the universal shrug sign. He hoped it translated to, _what the hell is up with those motherfuckers?_ His sign language seemed to work because another girl with black hair and caramel skin answered.

"Those ladies say that they want to use us for…" She blushed hard. A girl with a tangle of mossy curls and bright cherry lips budged in.

"They want to breed us. The boys and girls. I don't know what they're talking about, but they think they're werewolves or something." Cherry's lips formed a grimace. "Lady Prudence kept going on about how their…litters? Yeah, their litters keep dying. That they need humans to breed with. We're the best, um, stock." Cherry shuddered. "They're dumb, though. There's no such thing as werewolves. They're human, too. My mum and dad told me so."

"Mum, Dad." Glasses was crying. Her heart shaped face contorted in emotional anguish.

"Don't cry. They'll hurt you again. Shh, shh," Caramel patted Glass's arm. The latter girl pulled a face, and ceased to cry, leaving only wet tracks marking her profile.

Alucard did a flurry of movements. He hoped that _what did those assholes do to your parents_ was conveyed. Not so much this time. The girls stared at him like he grew an extra eyeball. He startled and touched his forehead. No, this time he hadn't. Damn, now he was actually acting like a child. He tried again, and the girls finally understood. Glasses began to sob, and Caramel once again calmed her friend down. It was Cherry who answered again. This girl had some grit for an eleven-year-old.

"They won't tell us. But I listen real hard during their dumb classes, you see. Those crazies are trying to, uh, trying to poison the water with something by using our parents." Cherry narrowed her dazzling blue eyes. "I don't know what they put inside them. I don't know how using our parents would poison anything. Did they force them to throw something in? If that's it, then why haven't our parents come back?" Cherry had the grit, but not the common sense, it would seem. Either that, or a severe case of denial.

This was going to be a long, long night. These girls needed to go to sleep. They had no business learning that their parents were killed, stuffed with some toxin, and then thrown into the river to bloat and release pollution into the drinking water, because hell, that was probably the plan. So, what was the main objective to killing off the population of London? Was the main objective to kill at all? Was this a project pocketed only in the United Kingdom? Shit, perhaps there _was_ just a bit of merit in learning more.

Alucard mimed that he was getting tired. The three girls patted his shoulder in what they thought to be in comfort. He pretended to cover himself with the threadbare blanket (hell, even a coffin was better than this shit) and closed his eyes for affect. After the children went to sleep and he heard the peaceful snores that accompanied slumber, he decided to have a little walk. Some investigation wouldn't hurt. With that, he shifted through the spot in the wall where a window should have been, remembering the warnings of tongue detachment or death once one left her dorm.

 _Fuck your rules._

Soon, Alucard was in the sweet cold snap of the outside. He followed the scent faintly hovering that he knew belonged to Garner. The runt might not be the leader of the pack, but he was privy to some heavy duty plans if he was the one chosen to select the next breeding stock. Alright, Alucard would snipe and then return to his room like a good little girl. Luckily, his team would be back before morning, and if not, then just perhaps, he won't wait until he slaughtered every last lycanthrope on this property.

 _Walter, woman, you better make it out of there alive. I don't fancy the whole of London drinking your decayed flesh._

…

Lorelei woke up to a joyous whistling from far, far in the distance. God, did those high pitches hurt. She attempted to clutch her head in pain. Nothing. Ah, yes, her eyes were closed. But why were they closed? She opened them and saw a pair of violet ones deadpan staring straight back at her. She started, almost rolling off of the man she was haphazardly flung on top of. After a few muffled cries, she also found her mouth completely covered with duct tape. Walter did an impressive sigh considering he, too, was bound with duct tape.

 _Time to collect my wits. Why am I duct tapped and bound with Walter underneath me?_

The pieces of the puzzle all came rushing together with a rush of memory. With comprehension came the question of, where were they? From what she could tell, they were in the back of a large van. Probably one of those white, unmarked vehicles that just screamed evil doing. They weren't moving. From the still darkness of the starry night sky outside, she could discern that much at least. Either they had arrived at their final destination, or they hadn't even left. She thought it was highly unlikely that the lycanthropes chucked them inside a van and left them for the next day's chores. But why didn't they do anything straight away? Forgetting that Walter was underneath her, she plopped her head onto his chest to give her straining neck a rest.

Surprisingly, listening to the butler's heartbeat was calming. It was low and steady, focusing her attention to the plan. His chest was warm and solid, tempting her to just bag out and sleep on it again. She chastised herself. If she did that, they would be dead, plain and simple. She recollected herself and struggled to get to her knees. There mustn't be any more hesitation. The plan depended on her to work, or they might actually be in some deep trouble. She accidentally kneed Walter in the groin in her attempts to scrabble up and sit straight. To his credit, he made no noise. He only became deathly white, his black hair in shambles around his face. Walter wriggled up until his back rested against the seat leaving more room for Lorelei to work with. Walter turned, showing his tethered hands.

Lorelei, finally up straight and with a sense of regained balance, flung her head down to the man's fingers so Walter could rip the tape from her mouth. He tore it off with gusto, leaving no thought to the pain he might have caused her. Sore from the harsh removal of tape, she lowered her head again to gnaw at the tape keeping the butler's hands immobile. Her canine grazed the meat of his palm, and he jumped from the contact. Once she saw that the bindings were unraveling, she thought she could afford a few more _mistakes_ as tape ripping retributionand bit his left hand. Walter did not react other than to mistakingly emit a throaty groan. Lorelei's heart plummeted. She had meant to be rude, to take whatever chance she could to hurt her rival, but that groan was something she couldn't ignore. She blushed heavily while the last of Walter's bindings snapped. When his hands were free, the butler whipped around.

Lorelei could have yelped from the intensity of his violet irises. He was a lithe animal, pent up inside of the back of a van, and she was locked in with him. Did he want to fight? Her brows knit in defiance, and she couldn't help herself, she head butted his firm chest. She heard a _oomph_ as she made contact, but as soon as she attacked, Walter's ability to move his hands proved as a handicap against her. The butler pushed Lorelei down into the seat's padding using his weight to seal her in place. They were lucky they didn't fall off of the seat, making a chaotic noise they didn't need to be heard by the lycanthropes outside. Their legs were still bound at the ankles, but that didn't stop Walter from pressing his left knee into Lorelei's groin.

A blast of warmth engulfed her stomach, spreading down to where Walter's hard knee made contact. The ball of warmth filtered down to her innards, pulsating in time to her heart. She was jittery, feeling helpless to put a halt to the situation due to her bindings. A pink blush clouded the bridge of Walter's roman nose, or perhaps that was merely a shadow. She couldn't tell due to Walter's long hair hanging down either side of his face. His entire weight was on her, and she could now feel his knee gently rotating. Lorelei made to hit him with her bound fists, but he easily secured them over her head. Her breasts bulged from the positioning, and she could swear that she felt the butler's eyes roving all over her curves.

Was he doing this because she accidentally kicked him when she was getting up or was it because she head-butted him? Was he still pissed that she refused his offer of using his body to get her kicks? This was surely some type of payback. She would have scratched him if only he would let go of her arms. She was shaking from this form of odd torture, frustrated that he could hold such dominance over her with little ease. Once again, he was making fun of her, and she wanted even more at that moment to defeat the Angel of Death. He rocked his hips, not once taking his eyes from hers. She recalled when he was braiding her hair the image of him doing the exact same thing. Rocking his hips into her, connecting their bodies, and perhaps their essence. If only they weren't wearing clothes, that hidden fantasy could have been hers. Unconsciously, she pressed her body into his, a delicious shudder wracking her spine.

As if shot with an arrow straight in the blasted face, Walter jolted. He shook his head, and she could practically hear his disapproval. She, too, woke from her foggy dream. This was Walter. _Walter._ Her fiancé's butler who was strictly off limits. More than that, this man had been the object of her hatred for sixteen years. He was her goal. The man she had to defeat in battle. Walter must have also realized that she was the woman he despised as well. Yes. That was it.

That was when she heard the muffled conversation of people outside of the van. Her heart pumping irrationally more from Walter's payback than the imposing threat, she let the butler replace the duct tape over her mouth, motioned her to wrap the broken tape around his wrists, and replaced her on top of him once again. His body was not as cool as it had been when she first woke up from whatever Garner stuffed down her gullet. In fact, he was steaming.

 _Act like you're out cold._

Walter's facial expressions seemed to plead to her. She nodded, but glowered at him before obeying.

 _Don't think I'll let you off from what you did tonight, bastard_.

Walter's eyes crinkled with good humor. That's right. He totally messed with her to get her riled up. Nothing else to do with it. Well, he got her all right. She still throbbed with this foreign pain between her legs. When this was over, she had a lot of catching up to do. Walter was at two strikes, and with any more, he'd be out.

"Oi, why'd ye have ta place 'em like at?"

"Why, cause they in love, right? They 'bout ta die, ain't they? Well, thought it would be nice to put 'em together."

"Since when did ye become a bleedn' heart?"

" 've always fancied me to be a bit of a poet, see?"

"Sheet, just open the bloody door, ya bag."

"No need to be rude."

The van door jiggled and then opened wide. Lorelei waited until they dragged both her and Walter out. She felt wet grass underneath her body, and she only just now noticed that trying to be dead weight was hard business. Especially when there were sharp rocks and patches of thick mud underway that threatened to make her tense from the pain. Her progress halted, and she heard Walter's body thump right next to hers.

"Now, what I do with the needles?"

"They're in your pocket, ye twit."

"Must be a stick up ye' bum hole tonight."

"Shut up, thicko. I'm just hungry. That filly there looks mighty tasty."

"Just wait n' I'll prick 'em with the needle. Ye' have ta wait a full ten minutes 'for ye kin have her throat like the others."

Needles. Why did it have to be needles? Lorelei wanted to jump up and kick the men straight in the teeth and see how hungry they could be after their faces dented in. Unfortunately, Walter had to give the signal. He was the one with the readily available weapons, after all. In the silence of the lycanthropes' exchange, she could pick out the shrill chirp of a thousand crickets. Soft trickling confirmed her suspicion that they were next to some body water. There was a _tap tap_ of a fingernail to plastic. Ah, why were they bothering to diffuse air bubbles if they were going to kill them anyway? Whatever was in those needles needed to be circulated throughout the body naturally. It also probably did not effect the lycanthropes if they were so ready to tear our their throats.

"Now, just take ye needle to the jaw. Come on, now. I'll eat me hand off if I have ta wait any longer."

"Fenly, I swear, I hate ye bloody guts."

The Poet's needle neared Lorelei's jaw. She could feel its presence even through closed eyes. The only thing that scared her other than becoming weak in old age were needles. Again, why did there have to be any? _Alright, Walter. Anytime now._ The tip of the cold metal needle grazed the soft padding of her jaw. _Walter_!

A gurgling sound followed by the wash of hot, coppery liquid was the cue Lorelei had been waiting for. She opened her turquoise eyes. There was a man with gentle features above her holding a needle in a trembling hand. His hazel irises were bulging from his corneas as he dropped the utensil to clutch at his severed throat. Blood bubbled from his mouth and dribbled to join the torrent at his desperate hands. Tears sprung to his eyes, and Lorelei would have felt bad for this supposed poet if it weren't for the fact that he was going to kill her and then feed her corpse to his buddy. Soon, he fell over, his body twitching until it finally ceased. Dead? Definitely dead.

Lorelei shakily got to her feat. They were next to a water refinery. A vast wooded area surrounded a clearing of crisp grass. She found Walter, hands free and bindings torn away, with his fingers occupied with a spider's web of wires. The man named Fenly was a strip of a male with greasy hay colored hair, watery eyes, and clothes that were either a size too small, or he had nicked the items from a junior's shop. He was busy, gawking at the poet, watching as his friend's blood steamed around him in pink waves.

"Ye...ye up n' keeled me buddy! Ye fucken—"

While Fenly was suffering a mental meltdown, Walter briskly strode over to Lorelei, face drawn in a business like placidity. He slipped a wire across Lorelei's bound wrist, freeing her easily. She quickly released her ankles and spat off the tape on her mouth. During her struggles with these dolts bad incapacitating-job, Fenly had come to terms with his midnight snack escaping and murdering his friend. He snarled, baring canines rapidly extending past his mouth, which was coincidentally elongating and sprouting coarse black fur.

In the span of a few minutes, the downright ridiculous Fenly was a full fledged lycanthrope. Like his human form, he was long and lengthy. His arms rested well below his knees, most likely used in loping vast distances. Piercing yellow eyes as bright and as sharp as a canary diamond flashed from a ridged brown. The wolf's ears were tall, at least four inches in length with small tufts sticking from the points. That jaw Lorelei knew previously held normal tartar covered human teeth had an immense underbite with the bottom fangs sticking up from under the canine's lips. Lorelei wondered in all lycanthropes had underbites, and if so, then she felt a little sorry for them. A two foot, feathery tail swished in agitation. He was ready to fight.

"You'll pay!" Fenly rumbled. Although he attempted to speak human words with what were now obviously animal vocal chords, they could both understand the gist of it.

"Terribly sorry, sir, but I seem to have been relieved of my cash." Walter snapped his hands down. Fenly's wolf instincts must have made him aware of the imminent danger. He dodged the wires that, a few milliseconds earlier, would have cuts him into three large pieces. Even if Walter did manage to lay a wire upon Fenly's fur, Lorelei's briefing from earlier confirmed that completely cutting the lycanthrope was at a low percentage.

 _Lycanthropes in their human forms can be cut down like Poet was just now. But Walter and Alucard assured me that lycanthropes are sturdier than most prey. That's why Walter is…good. He's got him.._

Lorelei darted away to a safer area, watching as Walter led Fenly in a dance. The wild creature followed the butler through trees, swiping with spindly fingers tipped with black, curved claws. Walter expertly wound through the detritus of the forest, one hand behind his back while the other skillfully played with the enraged Fenly. Said creature was foaming from his muzzle, batting at the wires slowly piling into one sticky trap. Only when Fenly began to stumble more than intended did he understand his fatal mistake. Walter chuckled, light and airy, like he missed the thrill of his enemy's death. Lorelei, incensed from the butler's vigor, bounced on the balls of her feat. She didn't want to admit it, but he was pretty cool. That would save him from her crushing him, yet she would let him have his moment for now.

"Nooo!" Fenly yelped when the wires he thought he escaped now held him captive when Walter pulled his middle finger up in a salute.

"Ah, no indeed. I want to play with you a bit more. Lucky for you, I am on a strict schedule. A butler is never late, you see. So your death shall be swift." Walter smirked at Lorelei. "You may commence in his end now, poppet." She rolled her eyes for what must have been the fifth time that day, reached into her bra, and pulled out her pistol crammed to the brim with silver bullets.

"First, you don't order me around."

"Like I could. Now please…"

"Second, you, Fenly. You're going to tell me what was in the needle your poet friend was going to jab into me. If you come clean, I might just let you off with a shot to each foot" Lorelei directed her roar at the struggling lycanthrope. Of course she would kill him, but it was worth a try to pump some information to deliver to Arthur and Alucard.

"I ain't gonna tell ye. Rather die than let ye swabs know a thing." Well, at least she tried. She aimed her gun, letting the muscles on her back go tighter to keep her arms sturdy. Her shot was twenty feet away. Kids stuff. Lorelei watched as a column of white smoke drifted in the air from the chill of the night, and fired a silver bullet. From the time she was old enough to attend primary school, she was able to handle a gun's recoil. The pistol was nothing, and her aim was smooth. Fenly gaped at the spot of fur dripping red from his chest. Right through the heart. The lycanthrope howled, the foam in his maw coagulating into pink mush. Fenly took one a last rattling gasp and then fell limp, the wires from Walter's cat's cradle holding the beast in place.

"So, are we going to talk about what just happened, or should we just put a move on to get Alucard back?" Lorelei swirled her gun around on her pointer finger, one hand on her hip. Walter straightened out his rumpled clothing and tightened the tie around his neck.

"Well, Mistress, if it is all the same to you, I would much prefer fetching Mr. Alucard before he does something drastic."

"Deal."

They fished for the car keys in Poet's surprisingly well organized pocket (also filled with poems that weren't half bad,) and swiped the vial of liquid he must of taken from to load his syringe. Deciding that dragging the corpses into the van would be a waste of time, they dug shallow graves and flung the lycanthropes in. Covering the makeshift graves with moss and dead leaves, they considered this a job well done. They would inform Arthur later on where the bodies were hidden for further disposal, but for now, the main objective was Alucard. This time when they hit the road, it was Walter who drove. He knew the area more clearly than Lorelei, who was more used to the other side of Britain for her stalking ground.

"You better drive safely, butler. It wouldn't do for your master's fiancée to be brutally mutilated in a car accident," Lorelei cooed. She watched Walter's profile lit by the full blue moon. He hadn't bothered to fix his hair, and the way it sat reminded her of the incident in her quarters where he offered himself to her to protect his master. And then earlier, when he had her pinned on the backseat. His face wasn't illuminated then like it was now. He seemed almost angelic in the curve of his sultry lips and the dip of his strong brow. Why was he doing this to her?

"Then I shall drive as delicately as the situation requires, Mistress." That was not the desired reaction. She hoped to have jabbed him, some revenge from his comments on her driving a week ago. Not so much. His lips pulled up into a lopsided smirk. How infuriating! There better be something to fight at Windlesham or else she didn't dare think about how she would vent this pent up rage, this pent up fire bubbling behind her breastbone.

…

Lycanthropes were terribly boring. For all of Garner and those novices' blather about ripping certain pieces of anatomy off, they sure were insecure. All of the lycanthrope baddies (except the stone faced guards "guarding" the gates and openings to the school and dormitories) swarmed into a luxury suite were they served ridiculous amounts of raw meat ranging from rabbit to venison to elk. They sipped black tea and dressed in a rainbow of rich clothing. Pearls, jewels, and brooches adorned their necks and collars. And each and every one of the bastards were fighting for dominance over the crowd like some ring of feral mutts. Alucard observed from the darkest corner, learning nothing of their plans other than the head honcho wasn't even in this facility.

 _That's one questioned answered. The guy running the show is named Oliver, and he's all holed up in Ireland._

"When are those gits ever going to show back up? We can't start the meeting without them." A pouty woman with hair as light as sea foam bemoaned. She was glued to Garner like a second, glimmering skin. For a moment, Alucard thought she was talking about Walter and Lorelei until Garner patted the woman's head like a, well, like a dog.

"Fenly and Dreedle are competent even if they are assholes. They should be back with their tails between their legs momentarily."

 _Nice pun, dipshit. Now make this jaunt worthwhile. Say something interesting for once. You all are boring me into another death._ Alucard wanted to tap his child's finger on his arm in impatience, but he feared that the lycanthropes' impeccable sense of sound would pick up the slight noise. Alucard could cover his scent well enough without those mongrels chasing him down, but sound was another issue.

But Fenly and Dreedle did not come back. Alucard knew for certain that Walter and Lorelei were safe if the two bruisers remained absent. The night dwindled into a musky pre-dawn with nothing accomplished. The dogs barked and nipped at each other until they, too, tired of their own nonsense. Garner mutated from the placid, sweet natured gentleman to a frothing mad man. He checked his expensive wrist watch at least twenty-five times until he howled in anger. The woman acting as his coat and scarf howled with him until the entire suite was filled with the chill enducing cacophony. Alucard huffed, intentionally letting the burst of air puff through his teeth. It was time he was rewarded for his patience.

"What was that?" Barked the woman-scarf. Apparently her name was Darla, but that didn't really matter to the master vampire. He made a well calculated stumble into the light and acted as if he was started by his clumsiness. On came the doll's eyes, although they probably could not see them to clearly from the glasses Walter loaned him. Growls permeated the surroundings. Garner spat, and if he wasn't in his human form, then his hackles would have been entirely up.

"You!" He snapped. "Were you not warned, little Allie, of the consequences paired with leaving your dormitory. I would have your tongue taken, but it seems you have little need of it. You are a mute, after all." The other wolves jeered, packing up around the temporary leader. They looked hungry, as if all that meat couldn't be enough to sate their gluttony. Alucard feigned a petite pout. _Oh yes, your words hurt me real bad_. "I don't want to dispose of you just yet. I shall grant you another chance at life. But you do need to be punished. Darla, darling, would you please?"

"How did the brat get out? There were guards stationed everywhere." Darla's correct line of reasoning earned her a backhand across her pretty face, making her pale green eyes bulge from shock. The impact caused immediate swelling around her delicate jaw. She whimpered, backing away from Garner, now red with fury.

"It doesn't matter. She's out when she clearly should not be. Do not spoil her punishment by back talking your alpha. Now, if you will, please take care of our dear little Allie." Garner shuddered, and when he took a step back to allow Darla some room to transform, the entirety of the suite seethed away from the cantankerous beast. One of the younger sprites yelped and fell on his rear. Garner turned and kicked the fool in the ribs until the runt moved out of the alpha's way.

If Alucard was supposed to be impressed by Darla's transformation, then the lycanthropes were way out of their league. He'd seen the whole song and dance before. Hell, their parents, brother, and sisters were probably the victims of Alucard and Walter's escapade ten years ago. The female lycanthrope morphed into a wolf-woman creature, shedding her ridiculous silver dress that barely covered her in the first place. Her bone structure was slim and willowy and her pelt was the color of gray rocks smoothed by the crush of a river. He realized that he should be cowering in terror, but just couldn't muster up the energy to even try anymore. Alucard only revealed himself to uproot any more delicious secrets from the group, but he was beginning to see that they were already drained dry. Walter and the woman better return. Alucard was barely hanging onto his already frayed patience.

"Good girl, Darla," heaved Garner, "Now take lovely Allie's legs. We shall see if she can run away on stumps." The male in his frumpy suit glared at Alucard either completely oblivious to Alucard's lack of fear, or just in the heat of a bloodlust. It didn't matter.

Darla lunged, and Alucard practically let the lycanthrope take hold of his legs into her maw. There was a flash of pity for the shoes and white pantyhose caught in the mess of his bones and flesh cracking and severing. The woman, Lorelei, would be disappointed that the money had went to waste inside of a dog's stomach. Nevertheless, it was a necessary evil. Darla shock her head left to right in rapid succession. Meat and blood flew and splattered the perfect marble flooring of the suite. One dog bent cautiously down to sniff at the carnage, wrinkling his nose in confusion. At last, Alucard was separated from his appendages and was flung to the wall from the propulsion of Darla's attack. He hit with an _umph_ and sat perfectly still.

"Damn humans. Glad that you're kind will be killed off slowly. Glad that only the best breeding stock will be left alive. I can't stand the sight of your pitiful carcass." Garner sniffed. Darla spat out the limp and bloodied legs. They splat onto the ground. She eyed the appendages wearily, giving the equivalent of a lycanthrope frown.

"Please, beg my pardon Garner," she growled. "This Allie. The girl isn't right. She tastes all wrong." The wolf pawed at her mouth as if the flavor did not match her palate.

"She's just a little shit. We'll make sure she behaves." The lights in the suite flickered. Once. Twice. And then the whole room was plunged into a cool darkness. "What the hell? Baxter, throw the lights back on, will you?"

"I'm trying sir, but they're all blown out!"

"It doesn't matter. I can still see fine. Let me take this runt back to her dorm, and then I'll retrain all of you on how to deal out a proper punishment." Garner stalked over to where Alucard was huddled like a broken toy on the opposite wall. The stench of blood wafted around the illusion of a girl. When Garner was within a yard of the broken body, jagged bones sticking out of stumps for legs, he heard something he would not have expected in his entire life. The girl Allie began to chortle. And not the kind that would normally belong to a little girl of eleven. Or was it twelve. He wasn't paying attention to the age of the girl and more towards her lovely mother. It was a pity that woman had to become fish bait. No matter. What was important now was that Allie was laughing maniacally in the deep baritone of a man's voice.

"Oh, I understand what you're playing at now, you mutts," said the mutilated girl on the floor. She writhed, twisted around and around until she scuttled up onto the wall with her hands. Understandably freaked out, Garner back away. The girl continued to release her booming laughter, and if he looked closely enough through the gloom, the girl's skin was schlepping off into mounds of darkness.

"Shit. Kill it. Kill it now!" Garner began the painful process of transforming into his other form. He hated the way his bones snapped and muscles stretched to accommodate his better, higher form. He mentally groaned. He forgot to take off his watch, and it snapped off of his wrist, falling into a crumpled heap. Once the pain of the turn melted away, he always felt superior to the human swine that crawled over the earth. He felt much better about the odd situation when his claws slid from under his nail beds. The others were now in their true forms as well. A huddle of pelts; whites, blacks, reds, and silvers. Yes. The threat will be eradicated easily.

"Do you truly believe you can beat me? Then try your best." The shadow thing took a solid form. Allie was no longer the cute little girl with glasses and a felt green dress. That girl probably never was. What replaced the ideal breeding stock was now a man of tall stature. He was wreathed in a moving red mist that perfectly complimented the lithe black leotard of buckles and restraints. The man's legs were back, long and muscled. His expression neared insanity, and Garner located an abundance of sharp fangs lining the man's mouth. "Hit me! Come at me! I've released to a level suited to you mutts." While the others took the man's bait, hook, line, and sinker, Garner stayed back. He pitted himself from the utter terror that sunk into his stomach.

"No, fall back, you shitters!" Garner yelped, but to no avail. The creatures had already descended onto the man. Not just any man, but a vampire. Shit. This was Alucard. The vampire monster who slaughtered Garner's kind like an exterminator with pesky flies. This did not bode well. No. No it did not. No matter how much his pack fought, there was no hope in winning with a surprise attack flung at them like this. There were two of the pack dead already with their pelts peeled back from steaming muscles. A massive flurry of motion ended with another dead. Her throat had been ripped out so severely that white bone shone through the matted mess.

"It might end here for us," Garner whispered aloud, "But not for our pack leader. We have other pods. They'll make it. They have to." The alpha wolf made the final decision and lifted his head. He gave a breaching howl. It tore his throat, but it had to be done.

"What did you do?" Bayed Alucard, the nightwalker. All of the pack, which Garner assumed included Darla, were decimated. Bits and body parts were scattered everywhere. Bugs had begin to dine upon the succulent feast. Terrible. Horrifying. "Tell me. TELL ME!" Alucard summoned an apparition. Not an apparition, but a solid creature. Multiple eyes lined his bulbous black body. It was around, ready to tear Garner into smithereens. "You call yourself a lycanthrope? You all have become weak if I could easily destroy your pack."

"If you must know," Garner was shaking. Chills blasted down his spine, and he was dangerously close to whimpering. He didn't want to die, but if he had done the right thing for Oliver, then he can face death like a true lycanthrope. Garner held his body still and squared his furry features. "I signaled the guards to dispose of the human trash. They know too much to be left at any old orphanage. The guards took a pill to kill themselves after the act. We will not be a disgrace to Leader Oliver. Oliver should learn of this transgression soon, and when our leader does—"

"I'll be sorry?" The thing known as Alucard held back the hound, but Garner could not see what expression the vampire wore. "The only thing I'll be sorry about is not dispensing of _you_ earlier!" In a flash, the hound pounced. As promised, Alucard gave Garner the most gruesome of deaths until the lycanthrope was only a smear on the floor. The vampire gave once last look at the enemies he slaughtered. Regretfully, the one known as Darla escaped in the melee. She was a smart one, despite her attitude. No matter. Her days were numbered now that Alucard knew of her existence.

Alucard sauntered out of the grand and destroyed suite, crunching the bones of the fallen underfoot. He conjured his usual red attire. Coat, pants, glasses, and most important, a hat. The sun was about to break the sky. A fitting color to the previous blood shed. But there was more color flickering at his vision that could be explained by the rising of the sun. His smirk from the satisfaction of killing those mutts faltered. The dormitories. He needed to get to them even though he knew. Even though the stench of decimated skin and bones and flesh burned his nostrils, he just had to see.

Loping over to where he left Glasses, Caramel, and Cherry, he hissed from unabashed fury. The boy's dormitory most likely mirrored the girls'. There were bodies of little girls piled in heaps. Each one had their head twisted. Broken necks. Blood dripped from their mouths, their vacant faces watching Alucard. Telling him that he was too late. The guards had sent the corpses on fire. They were fast and efficient. It must have only taken five minutes to complete the deed. Alucard spotted the said creatures on top of the fire pits. They had indeed done what Garner instructed. They took some type of item similar to that of a cyanide pill, and threw themselves into the fire to erase the evidence of them ever being there. They probably killed the kind headmaster, Socrates in the process.

On one heap of smoldering bodies was a girl with cherry red lips. Her dead eyes accused the master vampire, reminding him of all the sins he partook. He vowed to impale this Oliver whenever the chance could be taken. The sooner, the better.

"You just simply cannot be left alone, can you?"

Alucard stood still, left brooding in his mal-deeds.

"Walter. Leave me alone."

"What happened?" Gasped the familiar female voice. That was Lorelei. The woman.

"I have the blasted information you wanted. The cost were these children. We better fucking destroy all those responsible if you two ever want to sleep again with a clean conscious."


	6. Part Six: Conflict

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. One can do no wrong with aged cheese, crusty bread, and dipping oil. There are many combinations to tantalize the tongue. I would pair the edibles with tart wine, but always remember to partake of drinking in moderation. See you on the flip side.

Part Six: Conflict

"Ireland? Yes, I'm sure I can negotiate with the Pope to transport you three over there. However, you'd have to be on your best behavior." Arthur stared pointedly at Alucard, who in turn shrugged his overly broad shoulders.

"The lycanthropes were the ones who chose to mass murder innocent children and their parents, not me. I am past that stage in my long afterlife."

"Understandable. But from what you, Walter, and Lorelei have relayed to me, we must take our time in planning the rebuttal against such wicked acts, which I am sure will only become more sinister once our scientists deduce what was in that vial Walter and Lorelei retrieved. The Queen assured me that she will back our endeavors in any another countries to eliminate any more threats to Britain, so I do not want to soil her good name with useless mistakes."

"Well said, sir," Walter quipped.

They were back where this whole mess started, in the parlor room of Hellsing Manor. Instead of reveling in the truths they extracted from Poet, Fenly, and Garner, the massacre they left behind made the triumph of discovery into a miserable defeat. Alucard would not speak to Lorelei. He shared not even a peep to Walter. They simply returned back to their boarding room and retrieved their belongings. The vampire master phased into his coffin, leaving the other two to do the rest of the working packing. If that wasn't enough, Walter also wasn't speaking to her. She could handle his constant prattle about taking bodies or picking at her driving skills, but this new form of punishment was driving her wild. When Walter lifted his head to exchange words with Arthur, the smooth allure of his voice caught her attention because the man had been silent most of the day.

"For now, I want you three to rest. If we go all gung-ho on the bastards straight off, they may be expecting that particular hand. I need you all to strengthen your reserves. We need to research. We cannot to go in blind." Arthur turned to Lorelei. "And I apologize in the abrupt change of topic, my dear, but I am going to have to borrow you in a fortnight," he paled and scratched the back of his head. "Well, you see, what's left of my family wishes to dine together with myself and my new fiancé. I think my brother just wants to make sure that you're real. Either that, or he'd want to poison the both of us to take over the Hellsing operation." Lorelei hoped that Arthur's remark was merely a joke, but as the awkward silence settled onto her shoulders, she understood that she was going to marry into a pretty fucked up family.

"When will we resume our hunt?" Lorelei questioned, avoiding the threat of meeting a murderous future brother-in-law.

"I have a contact in Ireland who would be willing to purge the lycanthropes from his country. When we have set an appointment, I believe, that will be the perfect time to send you. And I also want him to spread out his feelers. We have to be well informed of our enemy as I believe they might be doing the same of us. I know Alucard has had a better footing in Ireland, but you and Walter are slightly unfamiliar with the area. Ignorance in this case is not bliss. Your homework is to study Irish maps. Fun stuff like that." He sighed. "Now, will you company me to dinner next Friday at six?"

"Alright, Sir Arthur. I would love to." Lorelei curtsied. They were dismissed.

The next couple of weeks were thick with strained tension. The contact in Ireland was busy gaining intelligence on the lycanthrope named Oliver, leaving everything at the Hellsing household at a standstill. These four were the type of group who took control and to hell with the consequences, but seeing as the lycanthropes went to horrendous actions to coverup their trail, they could not be as hasty as they desired. They could not afford another Brindleshaw, and even though the Hellsing organization covered up the travesty with the help of the Queen's money, the message was clear. Tread carefully.

In order to vent some of the pent up nervous energy collecting in her stomach, Lorelei used the training room almost from sun up to sun down. She would dine with Arthur for all three required meals of the day. At nighttime, she curled up into a love chair at the back of the Hellsing's enormous library. Arthur sat at the study table, and they shared a comfortable silence in their pursuit of knowledge as they poured over map after map.

Walter would serve blueberry tea with cream when he could afford the time. Most of his days were used as catch up from his absence as butler. Apparently the replacement staff couldn't keep up with the amount of clutter collecting in the manor. Lorelei's secret hope that Arthur pig-like tendencies would cause the butler some grief came true. _Sir_ Arthur made a hectic mess of the kitchen as he rooted through foods that did not need to be cooked, leaving dishes, crumbs, and perishables out and about the entire eating area. His study was a complete eyesore with dust coating every crevice, papers crammed into unimaginable crevices, and mud caked onto the hardwood floors. And the toilets? Probably best left to the imagination.

Although, whenever Lorelei trained, Walter would sometimes grace the room with his presence even if all his chores were not completed. Something was off, though. He still refused to directly speak with her. He would only set a brisk pace past her, his scent of clover and honey cloying, strip himself of his shirt, and do rotations of multiple weights. Lorelei did have to admit that Walter cut a fine form. Yes, he had a lithe and wiry figure, but that body was nothing but toned, hard muscle coated with a fine sheen of sweat. That did wonders for enhancing what muscles were working under his skin. From time to time, Lorelei would glance up from her archery practice to admire the rippling motion underneath the butler's ivory skin. There were perforations across his rib cage and other random scars littering his torso, but that somehow drew her in even further. How did he get those scars? Who hurt him? How did he live through one that seemed to indicate a near severing of his torso? This silent treatment, however, was something that Lorelei had to break.

"Why are you ignoring me?" She asked a few days after they returned home. She had completed a six mile run, all the while keeping a hawk's eye on the butler who was taking his turn at the target range with his wires. Lorelei caught her breath, and using the runner's high as back up, walked straight up to him and came out with it. He lazily gazed up, and without looking, cut off all seven heads of the practice dummies along with their fingers and toes.

"I most assure you, Mistress, I am not ignoring you. I am giving you some much required space."

"What the hell do you mean?" Lorelei stood almost chest to chest with him. She placed her hands on her hips in defiance. Walter peered down at her, an unfamiliar expression of exhaustion hovering on his face. He appeared downtrodden. Did the run in with the lycanthropes take that much of a toll on him? Sweat dripped from his jaw and glistened on his chest. She quelled an urge to wipe it off with the towel around her neck.

"I am in need of time to mull through my chaotic thoughts. About our enemy. About my position with the Hellsing group. About you." Out of nowhere, his voice grew husky. A primal, endearing quality that struck her straight in the chest. Unconsciously, she took a step backwards, but he only took one forward to stay head to head with her. Now there was something else in the way the line of his soft mouth twitched. How his long fingered hands clenched and unclenched. How the heat from his body coursed to her, making her head cloud with a heaviness she couldn't describe.

"I still don't understand," she said in a hush. She couldn't meet his suddenly intense stare. He wore no glasses to shield her from him today. Lorelei could fight vampires and shoot werewolves, but this emerging, new born feeling dancing at the corner of her mind was utterly frightening. She'd much rather punch Walter in the face again to feel like her old self. However, the set mood kept her rooted to the spot.

"If I keep pushing as hard as I have been, something is liable to break. No. I believe the best course of action is to wait. To coax. I can be patient when the situation demands the virtue. Until then," Walter placed his knuckles like an angel's kiss against her face, "please sort through your desires as well." With that, the surprising sweet touch was withdrawn, and he bent to grab his discarded shirt. "Tonight's dinner is at eight o'clock sharp. I've prepared the kitchen staff to produce a pleasant roasted chicken. Please do not be late like last time, Mistress."

Lorelei had been left stunned, staring at his retreating back until he disappeared from view. She covered her still racing heart with her hand. Never had he been so…nice. The change was odd and out of place. Was she actually buzzing from that encounter? Needless to say, dinner that night was a confusing event she would rather not recollect. Actually, no. That chicken was delicious.

Walter's odd resolution had been more than a week ago. Ever since then, he only interacted with Lorelei through the times she spent with Arthur, and the one time she tried to console Alucard in his basement dwelling. The extra minutes she used alone were plagued with the damn butler. She warred with herself. He was her arch rival. If he hadn't kept her from helping her father, perhaps she could have saved him. Yes, she might have been killed in her attempts, but at least she would have died knowing that she tried. He had left her passed out in a bed until soldiers came to find her. She was presented as a weak girl. Somebody who couldn't do a thing other than knit, sew, and grow to become a wife and mother despite how hard she worked to become strong. For sixteen years, he had been the only reason why she would fight with every iota of energy in her body. One day she would defeat the Angel of Death himself, or that was what she once thought.

Now, after knowing the man who grew from the boy, he still retained some of the boy's rowdy nature but there was an attribute he possessed from age that she couldn't quite pinpoint. He could be kind. Rough. Persistent. And damn, he was annoying. Yet, was he the same person she immortalized in her imagination all these years, or was she condemning the man for the transgressions of the boy? Was it time to give Walter C. Dornez another chance? God, she much preferred her single minded hatred of the boy who pushed her against a wall and threatened to kill her. These split, rogue thoughts frustrated her more than anything. Stabbing a few lycanthropes would have been a great way to vent. Too bad that contact was taking his sweet time in Ireland.

Due to her inner turmoil, Lorelei hoped a visit to Alucard's basement would clear her mind. Besides, he acted as if he suffered a great deal when they came back from the lycanthrope mission more than herself. Right. She was going to help _him._ Following this trail of reasoning, she crept down to Alucard's chambers around one in the early morning on Friday. She nervously smoothed her tangled hair. This would be the first time she'd be alone with Alucard, and even though he behaved himself in front of the other Hellsing men, she was still rightfully weary of the very dangerous master vampire.

"Hello, Alucard? May I speak with you?" No one answered on the other side of the solid oak door. She tapped her foot in a fit of jittery tension. Sighing, she made to leave when she received her answer.

"Come on in, woman."

Lorelei licked her suddenly parched lips, wondering why in the world she was doing this again, and followed Alucard's instructions. There were an insane amount of stairs to climb down cloaked in an eerie subterranean glow until she found Alucard perched on an overly magnificent armchair set directly in the middle of an open gray basement. His fingers were folded together, and he tilted his head at her with a tiny frown. He must really love the outfit he near constantly wore. Did he adorn the red garments to intentionally be spotted by the enemy? To add to the adrenaline of the hunt? It didn't really matter in the end. He was just Alucard, a fact that she relented to a long time ago. Probably way back when she first fought with this man. There was a phantom pain in her leg just from the thought of their fight, remembering the bullet he fired at her.

"What do you need?"

"I was wondering, well first I want to know if you want to talk about what happened in London. You've been withdrawn for the past couple of weeks. That's understandable, but, it's never good to keep everything bottled up for too long." Dammit, she was babbling. She wondered for the third time why she came here. How many more times would she regret this?

"I thank you for your concern. There is nothing I need speak about with you, however. I have carried my own burdens upon my back for so long, the concept of sharing anything with another in foreign." Now that peaked her interested. There was something she had been meaning to ask the vampire.

"Alright, then we don't have to tear off the scab. That's fine. But I have been wondering, and tell me if I'm prying because I'll stop if you wish, your name spelled backwards is actually Dracula. Is…is it true? Are you actually Vlad the Impaler?" She noticed straight away when she was first introduced to the vampire, but never had the guts to ask something so ridiculous until now. Alucard's signature grin spread from cheek to cheek. He rested his head upon one white gloved hand.

"Intuitive. A little slower than Walter. He realized about a week after we fought as a team, but I was wilder then. A dead give away, if you will." His orange sunglasses flashed. She wasn't going to correct him."I guess you should know the true identity of whom you fight back to back with. Aye, your assumption is true. Although, the body I carry was Dracula's, the person I am now is very much Alucard."

"I get the concept. You changed. Has…has Walter changed since you first began to work with him." There, that was subtle enough.

"He's not as much fun anymore," Alucard smirked. "He's all about responsibilities and upholding his honor with Arthur. Before, he'd strike first and ask questions later. You know, I did offer to turn him into a vampire. A chance to possess immortality." Lorelei gulped. Had he really? "Walter shot me down. He said that he'd rather live with his human strengths and someday defeat me than to cheat death. For that, I greatly respect his wishes. In a sense, he still has his twists and turns," Alucard mused.

"Hmn." Lorelei became consumed with her inner conflicting thoughts. She turned her attention to the chaos swirling inside and did not notice when Alucard deftly heaved himself off of his chair and to his feet. He happily arrived to where she stood with her brows knit. Finding the whole situation entertaining, Alucard waited until Lorelei jumped from the sudden knowledge that the looming master vampire was only a few inches away.

"You know, there is one way to find out about how you feel."

"What? What do you mean?" Lorelei blinked, berating herself for forgetting that Alucard was still a vampire who thirsted for thick, coppery blood. She gulped. Her hand instinctively covered her hip where the sword was passively hidden.

"All I have to do is poke the tiger with a stick." As nimble as a well practiced thief, Alucard had his hand cupped under Lorelei's chin. That was all he had to do to get her full and undivided attention. He brushed his thumb across her lower lip, watching as it twitched under his administrations. The vampire was as cold as a block of marble, and his freezing temperature filtered down to their point of contact, and yet her veins thrummed with the heat her body was sending out in full force.

"Alucard, I don't think, I mean," Lorelei tried to say without the full use of her lower lip. What she wanted to tell him was that, although she did find him highly attractive (a sort of attractive meant only for sensual daydreams) she did want to enter in a sexual relationship with him. First of all, he never gave off the aura that he was sexually attracted to anyone, and so this exchange broke his mold. She had a feeling that Alucard would be in any type of physical relationship it would be just for the sex alone, nothing else. That wasn't what she wanted for her first time.

Right. That was another problem. Lorelei never had sex before. Sure, there were kisses and touching here and there, but it never went further than that because one, she wanted to be emotionally invested in a relationship that went as far as to engage in sex; and two, she was far too busy committing vampiric genocide. Now, there were men coming at her from all angles. Arthur, Walter, and all of a sudden, Alucard. All of this attention was making her unpleasantly dizzy.

She did not prepare for what happened next.

Alucard kissed her. Lorelei froze. No. No, this wasn't right. This vampire's freezing lips. His fangs digging into her mouth. He wrapped a secure arm around the middle of her back and began playfully nipping at her lips and tongue. They were so close, too close. Yes, this was an enjoyable encounter, but she did not want to share it with Alucard. A distracting wriggling in the corner of her mind told her who exactly she really wanted to kiss. Who she wanted to touch. Lorelei tried to shuffle free, noticing that behind those orange sunglasses, Alucard wasn't even paying attention to her. He was starring at a point behind her. Was…was someone there? A terrifying thought struck her, and irrationally panicked, she shoved Alucard with all of her power. He stumbled away, breaking their contact and kiss, grinning like an insane beast. Lorelei whirled.

"Oh please, do not let me interrupt such a tender moment," Came the dry comment.

Yup. Yup, it just had to be Walter there, leaning against the stone wall with his arms crossed and a foot on the wall. He wore the purple and black attire similar to the set she first saw him in as a child. And he was staring at the both of them like he caught two children in the middle of stealing a scrumptious pastry from under the cook's hands. Her heart squeezed from the sight of him, and she closed her eyes briefly from an all new pain separate from a cut or shot to the leg.

"My dear friend, Walter. I was only giving her a kiss goodnight." Alucard's tone lowered to an impossible decibel, letting the butler interpret the words to his own liking. Walter tapping one delicate finger on his elbow, revealing a wire under Alucard's throat. The butler's eyes were illuminated violet, unfriendly, and straight up pissed. Alucard chuckled. "Do you want to fight? I've been dying to sink my fangs into something. If you volunteer, I'll let the woman go."

"Do not trifle with me, Alucard. Let me make this clear," Walter's dark, lilting voice was a feral growl, "Touching the _Master's_ fiancée is off limits." His ire was ablaze, and he pulled at the wire just enough to draw blood from Alucard's jaw. "And _you_." That bold anger dropped to Lorelei. She was so raw from discovery after discovery, her weakest point in her life other than when her father was killed, that she flinched. " _You_ know very well that Master's restrictions to your marriage arrangements involved not entering into any relationships with the staff. That includes Alucard."

"That also includes you." Well, that just came out. If Lorelei could have hit herself with how she basically opened her mouth and stuck her foot in, she would have used her brass knuckles. That wasn't what she meant to say. Especially not after clearing through her thoughts and finally understanding. _Finally._

"You are correct," Walter spat out. He narrowed his eyes, sighed, and retracted his wires. After brushing off invisible dust from his jacket, he turned and called over his shoulder. "You two do what you will as long as you follow Master's orders. Until then, behave like adults." And just like that, he was gone. Alucard chuckled for a few moments until the chortles evolved into full belly laughs. Lorelei refused to be humiliated by the man who once used the name Dracula.

"What did you do, Alucard?"

"I poked the tiger with a stick, and now you know how you feel. I've done what I can for now." He pulled his shades down with his middle finger and winked at her. "If you came down here with the intention of raising my spirits, you've outdone yourself."

Lorelei stormed off, leaving the crazy Count to his devices alone in the dark. She passed the library in a storm. The doors were wide open, and Arthur was still huddled inside reading a paper.

"Hi Lorelei!" He waved. She strode by without even noticing. "B…bye, Lorelei!"

She tumbled into her guest room and reassembled her rigged lock. Lorelei did not leave her chambers until she gave up on a unrestful slumber. She walked around her room. She changed in and then out of a few sets of attire that she couldn't care less about. There was a book on her nightstand. Right, she'll read and get this horrible pounding out of her head. A couple minutes into reading proved that she really shouldn't be reading. Lorelei slipped out her sword and practiced a few moves. One, two. Gah! She flung her weapon at the wall. It stuck straight inside of the plastering.

"No, that was the last thing I needed," she groaned, swiping at her face with the back of her hand. She spoke too early. The rigged doors banged, and she heard Arthur distantly curse from banging his face against the wood. "I can do this. I can do this." Lorelei trudged to undo the lock and open the door to face Arthur. He patiently waited on the other side and mimed tipping his hat to her good morning. Or was it afternoon? She had lost track of all time, something of which she had never done.

What did Arthur need? Did Walter tattle to him about what he saw between her and Alucard? Not that there was anything to report at all. Alucard was only toying with her. That much she knew. But what did the scene look like to Walter? God, she hated how she feared what his interpretation would amount to. The opinion of others never bothered her before Walter. He was turning her world upside down.

"Any news about your contact in Ireland?" There. That should jolt him out of whatever he wanted to discuss with her. Yes. Turn the conversation to her side, and even more so towards work. That would seem like she was consistently vigilant, never letting trivial personal matters disrupt her steel trap inner machinations.

"Any news about the sword stuck inside the plastering?"

"Umm, touché. I got a little too into training and it flew from my hand, just like that." He sure derailed that.

"You understand, I do have a training facility on the plot to satisfy your toning needs. And also locks on the doors where you magically have no need to rig traps." Arthur came inside and immediately found a cushioned wooden rocking chair to plop into. He slowly rocked the piece of furniture. There were dark circles lining his eyes, and there was a tilt to his shoulders that spoke of inner demons dragging him down. "Ah, it doesn't matter," he nonchalantly waved a hand. "I actually came here to brief you on what to expect with my brother, Richard and my three cousins, Arnold, Louise, and Emma. They are indeed a handful. All four have been raving at the bit for me to up and kick the bucket, thus my multitude of body guards, Walter, and Alucard."

"So, they want to control the fight against the supernatural? Do they have their own facilities?" Lorelei never researched her future husband's lineage, and she only heard of the one Hellsing organization. Nothing more.

"No. The buzzards just want the title and the monetary inheritance that comes with it. They have no interest in eliminating the undead. The cretins." He swiped a hand through his unruly golden locks. "I can't stand them. My cousins are miffed because my father was supposed to filter his power to my uncle when he passed away. Instead, father found potential in me as an heir, leaving the other side of the family in such a foul temperament. Now history shall repeat itself because there is no way in Hell I shall relinquish the Hellsing name to Richard. I fully intend to pass everything to my future son or daughter. Won't _that_ please my brother?"

"You're basically telling me to watch my back, right?"

"Well done. Any bride of mine will have a target as large as the moon upon her back. Though, as you are well aware, you will not be the woman to bare my heir. Still, my family will think you will be, and that is what this pretense will cost you. Your safety. I…I must apologize for not informing you earlier."

"I've always been in danger, Arthur. I believe I was more in danger before than I am now. I went out without intelligence on who I was targeting. I went alone. Yes, I had some team effort in taking down a couple hits from _Defang_ , but those we're just what they were. Hits." She smiled and placed a hand on Arthur's nervously twitching palm. He flinched, but recovered quickly, beaming at her. "I'm safer with Alucard and Walter now. You've provided me with more resources to protect my ass than I could ever conjure in my lifetime. I think I can handle your family."

"I know you can. I know." He patted her hand and rose from the rocking chair. "I wonder if they would be able to handle you, my dear." He made to leave, and after he curiously touched the handle of the sword still protruding from the wall, he stopped. "As for your earlier question; my contact in Ireland has divulged some information. He will get back to me tomorrow, and soon I shall send you, Walter, and Alucard out. This time, to annihilate them all." The danger in his tone did not leave when he said, "Dinner is in an hour."

As soon as Arthur departed, Lorelei began to dress into her most extravagant gown she brought from her mother's house. From Arthur's description of his tendency to usurper-like family, she believed great clothing would be the best armor against such a mindset. She was actually relieved to have something else to mull over other than he-who-must-not-be-named. Lorelei dawned the brilliant rosewood brown gown effortlessly. The fabric hugged her curves all the way down to her knees where the dress then radiated in a waterfall of silk. She slipped on her silky brown high heels and attempted at weaving her long red hair into a fashionable beehive on top of her head. Mascara, brown eye shadow, eyeliner, and deep red lipstick completed the look. She ran out of time to paint her fingernails, so she dug around in her trunks to locate her silk brown gloves. There. She was a heartbreaker right there. Lorelei cringed. She wanted nothing to do with matters of the heart.

The bell for entrance into the manor rung so loudly, the reverberations melted up through her shoes to her toes. She never heard the bell before and was wondering if Arthur was waiting for her when they first met just to avoid the cacophony. Lorelei hurried to the front hall to find Arthur. He usually liked to greet his guests first hand. True to form, there he was. She wondered if he spied through her items while she was gone, because he wore the perfect suit compliment to her gown down to the brown cravat. Arthur winked at her and opened the mansion to his Greek tragedy family.

…

"My dear, could you please pass the gravy?" Arthur was seated at the grand dinning table draped with a frilly brown table cloth. Lorelei was directly to his right while the esteemed Richard and angry cousins were sat at the furthest possible seats. Lorelei reached out with perfect manners and retrieved the gravy saucer and ladle for Arthur. He in turn scooped a brimming amount of gravy onto his mashed potatoes. They steamed with contact. Through the gray mist, Lorelei located Walter. He stood stoically at the bay window, arms behind his back, staring off into the distance. He refused to look at her, and she found it hard to concentrate fighting off her soon-to-be in-laws when her chest was being crushed by a troll or a titan. She grabbed her flute of red wine, and despite the dryness of the concoction, downed the whole thing. No one noticed except for the butler, who duly came over and refilled the glass. Lorelei felt the heat of him permeating the air as he bent over to tip the wine bottle's neck to the rim of the glass. So, he'd come close when she finished the wine, hmn? Walter returned to his station, setting the wine bottle back on a trolley.

"Miss Richford. Hmn, Richford was it?" Emma, who turned out to be part one of triplets, was sawing through a mound of soft and moist turkey. She did not look up from her endeavors and assumed Lorelei was paying attention. The woman was in her sixties and apparently thought that stuffing herself in a tight olive green dress would hide her age. It was only enhanced.

"Yes, my maiden name is Richford, Miss Hellsing." _Something is going to happen. I just know it. I would rather it be her brunette locks turning into snakes so I would have an excuse to cut off her head before she turns anyone to stone, but it's probably not going to be that._

"Weren't the Richfords the family whose patriarch died a couple decades back?" Emma's sharp blue eyes from a sweet heart shaped face caught Lorelei's. "And they fell so hard from grace that they needed to sell off their companies and much coveted stocks? I do hope that didn't happen to you, dear." She shoved a piece of turkey into her mouth and chewed with a smirk. Alright, not Medusa, but something close. Lorelei swirled the contents in her wineglass. The comment about her father hurt, but she could handle Emma. The menfolk were all staring at her now, so she wouldn't give up.

"Unfortunately, you are correct. My mother and I did suffer some hardship and were forced to rely upon the good graces of her relatives." She sipped her wine. Yuck, still dry. "I am truly indebted for Sir Arthur's good eye when he proposed to me. The Hellsing Organization needs to be handled by a tough matriarch, and he couldn't have done better. Any other weak female attributes tied previously to the family were skipped over, now weren't they?"

Arthur coughed into in potatoes and wiped a dribble of escaped gravy from his chin. He was smiling behind his napkin, encouraging Lorelei.

"I, I see." Emma stabbed at her plate with increased vigor. It was time for her sister to be tagged into the brawl..

"We've heard that you engage in combatting with the undead. Is that so, for if it were, what a hobby for a future woman noble," Louise batted the same blue eyes as her brother and sister, but somehow, the heart shaped face looked off on her. More like a horse's muzzle than any human feature. Lorelei sipped her wine again, drawing the rest of the liquid into her mouth and swirling it around her tongue. Walter immediately came over and filled the glass. She watched as he also refilled Richard's glass, and fueled by his presence, she responded to Louise and her ratty, mustard yellow dress.

"I tend to follow the Queen's golden example. You do understand she also combats vampires, or the undead as you call them. Are you truly intending on disrespecting her, as you say, hobbies?" She speared a buttered pea on a tine of her fork and munched on the vegetable. She should be eating more, but she tended to concentrate better on a half filled stomach.

"S-Surely not!" Louise dabbed at her sweating face with a handkerchief. Emma reached under the table, probably patting her sister's knee for comfort. In triumph, Lorelei polished off her third glass of wine. Now, _she_ wanted to be the one on the offensive.

"Richard, oh, I apologize. Should I call you Mr. Hellsing? Or would that be too confusing, seeing as there are many Mr. Hellsings here. Maybe not. We all know where the head of the table is located." Again, Arthur choked on a piece of food from his barely contained laughter. Richard smiled gently, but the red staining his face was unpleasant and all telling. His brown mustache couldn't hide away that cheek twitch.

"You may call me Richard, my dear. We shall be in laws soon after all. Now, what was it that you wish to ask me?"

"Ah yes. Did you have a wife? Are there any little nieces and nephews for me to watch out for?" She, too, grinned, but everyone at the table knew what Lorelei was aiming for. _Are there any shits I have to be on the look out to try and murder me?_

"No. I do not have a wife nor a lover. And don't you worry your little head. There are no children, either." Richard, so similar to Arthur except with that very stupid looking mustache, ate a piece of warm spinach soufflé. Lorelei also nibbled at a piece of her own soufflé. It was fantastic, though it really needed to be washed down with wine. She gulped down her fourth glass and moved onto her fifth.

"Now, Arthur, what are your plans for…" Arnold, the male version of his sisters dressed in a sensible black suit and much better looking for it, went into the Hellsing company's investments. Good. That meant they were finished heckling her for now. Arthur answered his cousin with the most evasive mode of conversation that she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. She took a few more drinks of the wine. It was starting to taste pretty good now. How many glasses he she consumed so far? Six? Seven. She thought she was doing a great job so far.

"Here is the dessert! Walter, you have truly outdone yourself. Bread pudding. My favorite." Arthur winked at his butler as he tucked into the caramel soaked creation. Lorelei barely noticed the exchange of the main courses to the last. Still, she followed Arthur's lead and broke down the mound of sweet bread one bite at a time. Arthur was correct. This dessert was to die for. Especially when one drank wine to combat the startlingly sweet substance.

"I know you are not showing it, but you should probably stop at this last glass."

Lorelei gripped her spoon until her knuckles under the gloves turned white. Walter had casually whispered those words straight into her right ear. The prickle of goose flesh spreading down her entire right side meant that her guard was close to non existent. Agitated, she drained her wine glass and held it out to the butler.

"I think I know how to responsibly direct my actions. Now, if you would, Walter." Lorelei wondered if Arthur also told Walter to perfect the poker face because that was what Walter wore to a 't' as he poured the eighth, maybe ninth glass of wine. She might need to stop by the lady's bathroom soon.

"Richard, Arnold, Louise, and Emma. I am so glad that you were able to make it tonight," Arthur announced after a light conversation following dessert. The family grumbled their agreement. They had all four tried to dismantle Lorelei, and each time she swiftly cut them down. If they were attempting to scare her off, they were going to be sorely disappointed. It would take much more than petty words to drive her away. And the bastards knew it, too. She witnessed what Arnold and Richard thought was a private moment pass between them. They spoke in each other's ears, and then Arnold passed the information to Emma. Emma promptly pressed a button on a device Lorelei could not recognize. Very shifty business, and business that screamed something explosive, like a bomb. That was around the time her vision became foggy around the edges. As much as she denied it, Lorelei knew that she was more than just tipsy from her wine. She was outright drunk.

"Thank you, Arthur, for letting us visit your lovely manor and meet your beautiful wife to be." Arnold stood from his seat and bowed to Lorelei. It took all of her might to act normal and say thank you.

"Well then, all. Walter shall see you out. Please, do not miss the wedding. It's nearly four and a half months away."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world." Emma and Louise said at the same time. They grinned at each other like dumbasses, but then again, Lorelei wasn't doing that, too? She couldn't tell. The vampire hunter watched as her new family members were escorted away by Walter. His hips swayed languidly, and Lorelei had to tear her focus away. Oh God, why did she drink that much?

"You were fantastic out there, Lorelei! Now you will have to tell me, was your uncanny wit to be credited to you alone, or you and your best friend, _Pape Clement Blanc_?" He eyed the bottle of wine.

"I would have to say a bit of both. Did it show that much?"

"No. You did well. I could only tell towards the end when you kept staring at Walter."

"God." She felt her stomach heave and she forced the contents within to stay put. "I think I'm going to pass out, but I'm afraid they set a bomb in my room."

"A bomb? I wouldn't put it past them, but I am sure they wouldn't have enough time to plant one tonight. Rest assured." Arthur either was playing along with Lorelei's drunkenness, or he truly did believe her concerns. "I shall let you get some sleep. Slumber is the best medicine, after all. I have one or two, ehem, appointments tonight I cannot miss, so I unfortunately will not take you to your chambers as of now," he paused, watching as someone entered. "Walter, you're back. Yes. Could you please take Miss Richford to her room? She might need some assistance."

"Of course, Sir." Walter apparently had completed his task of exiting the cantankerous Hellsing rejects and was now at his master's side. A few strands of his pulled back ebony hair fell over his eyes, and his mouth was puckered into something that resembled displeasure.

"Please get her some water to drink and something to keep the hangover off. She was brave tonight. Those gits are worse than a hoard of vampires and demons combined, and yet she stayed all four. Much more brave than myself, I fear." Arthur left the table and grazed his fingers across the top of Lorelei's head like a master would with a prized pet. "Get some rest." Arthur clucked his tongue, slapped Walter on the back, and walked off whistling into one of the hallways, Sectors or whatever, Lorelei never entered. The faint echoes of a few girls giggling were followed by the slamming of double doors.

"Well, Mistress, I suppose I must follow orders. If you please, I need to remove you from your chair." Walter elegantly held out his hand, the other tucked behind his back. His monocle gleamed from the faint candlelight pouring from the lamps set upon the table as decorations. He revealed nothing through his facial features when Lorelei grasped his fingers with hers. Sweet warmth seeped through his silk glove, and she was startled to find that at some point during dinner, she had taken off her own brown gloves. Where did those buggers go? When she heaved herself onto her feet, the entire world spun. Moving that fast was a terrible idea. She fell upon Walter, who in turn caught her in his arms. He supported her under her arms, pulling her to an faux equilibrium as he spread his legs for leverage.

"S-Sorry," she whispered. This wasn't her. She wasn't the damsel to be saved, but somehow, it was nice to play one. Just this once. A couple steps into the trek towards her chambers, it was evident that Lorelei would not be able to walk at all. With a sharp intake of breathe, Walter scooped the vampire hunter off her feet, carrying her like one would his bride. She wrapped her arms around his neck to keep her vision from spinning too much, burying her face into his collarbone.

Lorelei felt the raise and fall of Walter's steps, and reveled in the scent of clover and honey. Ah, and there was the hint of faint cigar smoke. He only smoked when he was frustrated or when he wanted to look cool. Had he been frustrated today? She couldn't remember. Everything was smoothed and tumbling together. Was this a dream, or a nightmare. She didn't care up here. Walter's arms were long and cradled her to his chest perfectly. They hadn't been this close, haven't touched this much of each other since the first night they reunited and fought. How surprised he was when he found himself under her. How aroused he was. She giggled out loud, misting the side of Walter's neck.

"What in the world is so funny?" Asked Walter with exasperation as thick as a tender slice of meat. He repositioned his arms around her and decided out loud, "Your quarters are too far away. I'm not saying you're heavy, but I don't think I can control m…I need to put you down. Now." She could hear the gravel of his voice inside of his chest. She molded her body to his just in time to share the reverberations.

"Where are you taking me?" She laughed, snuggling closer. Walter paled, his eyes desperate. He didn't answer, more focused on walking a faster pace.

"Here we are." The butler literally kicked out a door in his desperation. The paneling snapped, but he didn't seem to mind as he crossed into the pleasantly dark chamber. He placed Lorelei on a soft bed and gently peeled off her shoes. She shuddered involuntarily from his administrations. He raised an eyebrow, but continued placing her legs under a thick comforter, tucking her in tightly. He rolled her to her side. "Wait here. I shall retrieve water and medication." She didn't have to wait long. Mostly because she blacked out for most of the time Walter was absent. She only awoke when he brushed a finger across her lips. Her eyes popped open, and she stared up at him as vulnerable at a newborn kitten. He actually flinched, but recovered his composure. Walter positioned her so she sat while she drank the water and swallowed her medicine. She laid back down when she was finished.

"Sleep here for tonight."

"Is this your room, Walter?" She sniffed. The comforting shadow beside her made to depart, but she grabbed at his hand, clasping her fingers around his like before at the dinner table. Her heart beat far too fast. She was so hot. Her clothes were burning her up, but this was more important. How could she let him know?

"Yes it is. But do not worry. I shall sleep on the chair in the corner."

"Walter," she rasped. He tensed his fingers.

"Mistress, please let go."

"No. I…I don't want you to go. Please stay here with me." He had to stay. He just had to. She needed to convince him before the gumption of the wine wore off tomorrow.

"I shudder at the thought, Mistress," he answered wryly.

"Please, just please. Walter, I think I like you, and I'm so confused. I..." Tears sparkled and dripped down her face. Walter's face betrayed his shock, and he immediately wiped the salty tracks away with a glove.

"Mistress, you're tired," His voice was rumbling and so low. "I wish not to take advantage of words you do not mean." True, there was a predator lurking behind his motions. It was masked well with nice clothes and a butler's sense of duty, but Lorelei's comment stroked the beast just right.

"Whether you believe me or not, I'll be cold without you." Did he actually gulp? His skin was so white. And that was for sure a blush. There were no shadows dark enough to cover that deep red emblazoned on the bridge of his nose. Moonlight trickled from the open drapery, and she watched as Walter battled with himself.

"You win for now, Mistress, but only because you are being adorable." He slipped off his shoes and wriggled out of the butler's jacket he wore for dinner, setting the article of clothing on a chair. Walter plucked off the silver monocle and secured the item on a nightstand. Then he rounded to the other side of the bed and got in. Yet, he was on the furthest edge. The distance was so cold, and so Lorelei rolled over to clamp onto his side. He actually bit his lip and squared his shoulders. She held on with a death's grip and eventually happily dozed, finally getting sleep after being awake for almost a whole two days.

Walter stared at the ceiling. Lorelei's breasts, which were already pronounced by that damnable dress, were pressed to either side of his arm. She had a leg hooked around his and he felt her stomach touch his ribs each time she breathed. An eager warmth spread from between his legs, painful and unabashed. He rolled his eyes, slapping his free hand onto his face.

 _God, up until now I have been a non believer, but if you give me the strength to make it through this night, then I shall say all the hail Mary's needed to satisfy your bloated ego._


	7. Part Seven: Drawn

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. I am much inclined towards oysters for the main dish tonight. Smooth, salty, and quick to gulp, you may also include different sauces when partaking of your meal. Perhaps a nice steaming cup of lavender tea would be the perfect balance, or the worst. See you on the flip side.

Part Seven: Drawn

The soft tendrils of dawn filtering from the windows broke Lorelei from her deep slumber. She wriggled free from the last vestiges of sleep, surprised at how well rested she was. Aside from a faint throbbing in the corner of her temple, the morning had endowed her with a vast amount of energy. Although her room seemed a bit different. The nightstand was on the left side of the bed when she had specifically lugged the piece of furniture to the right side upon her first night at the manor. She adorned her room in shades of blue and turquoise whereas the ambiance here was swathed in ebonies and violets. There certainly was not a leftover mark from a sword implanted on the wall. Then there was the issue of the dent on the other half of the bed she would usually sleep in. And was she still wearing her clothing from the previous night? Suddenly, the foggy entirety of the previous night sweep through her bones, quickly chilling her. She smacked the heels of her hands into the crevice beneath her eyes and above her cheeks.

 _I practically jumped into his bed and asked him to have sex with me. Oh dear lord, when I fall for someone, apparently I go all out. What did I do?!_ She nibbled on one of her fingernails, an old habit she kicked years ago rearing its ugly head. Frowning, she withdrew her finger and wiped the wet appendage dry. However, when she turned to see the damage caused by her drinking the night prior, the butler was gone. She was completely alone.

Where exactly was Walter? He was not where she clung to him last night. The side of the bed was oddly stale with barely an indent to indicate there was a previous inhabitant. She gingerly lifted the covers, confirming her earlier suspicions that she was still indeed outfitted with the clothing of last night. Lorelei was burning both from the heated clothing layers and from her lack luster confession induced by liquor. Did she ruin her chances? Did she make him wait too long, and that was why he did not reciprocate her advances? The budding of a relationship was a dangerous path, and it seemed to her that she was making all the wrong turns at that particular twisted road.

Lorelei threw her legs over the side of Walter's bed, sighing. If he didn't want her the way she did him, then how can she salvage their association as working comrades, if there was ever such a thing? This was all very confusing. The butler's presence to help her understand what happened last night would be a great help as of now.

As if on cue, the far door next to a massive dresser opened inwardly, letting a burst of steam curl languid tendrils into the room. The heady scent of honey and clover overcame Lorelei, and she squirmed on her the bed, casting her face downwards. A dark figure emerged from the mist like some type of morning glory, parting the cloudy atmosphere to reveal the butler of her affections.

"Ah, good morning, Mistress. Did you sleep well? Is your head feeling alright? I hope that you do not ail from a headache especially after taking medication." His voice was normal, as if the night's events had not occurred. Her innards twisted. Could there be a chance?

"Good m-morning," she whispered. She wanted to project her greetings, but there was something lodged at the base of her throat. Fear? Shame? Or it could have been hope. The vampire hunter blushed like a pure maiden. She never felt so girlish before, and refused to let Walter fully gaze upon the raw discovery of her other side. Not yet.

"What was that, Mistress? I couldn't quite hear you correctly." Walter crossed the room where Lorelei was forced to acknowledge him in the full. He had just showered. The butler only wore one fluffy black towel around his hips and another around his shoulders. Droplets of shower water still clung to his shoulders and abdominal muscles. His hairs clung tightly to his neck and the side of his cleanly shaven face. The butler seemed an entirely different person with his hair and bangs arranged as such, and the thumping of her heart dramatically increased.

"I slept well. My head hurts a little, but other than that, I should be right as rain." Walter obviously was not listening to her because his next actions negated her assertions that she was just fine. He reached his naked hands over to her face, directing her attention fully upon his. The heat of his shower had colored his normally pale features. There were still bags under his highly defined violet eyes, or were they silver now? She never noticed how they shimmered and changed according to the lighting of a room. They were almost magical. Fascinated by his long, black lashes ending in sharp points, she was not ready when his lips came to meet her forehead until it was too late. The contact of flesh to flesh excited her, and she feared her rib cage would crack from her galloping heart's antics.

"What are you doing?" She squeaked.

"Checking your temperature," he mumbled upon her skin. She wanted to shudder, but kept still. "Alright. You do seem fine. I shall fetch some more medication for your headache." He backed away, leaving a cold far too strong to breach.

"You don't have to. As I said, I feel fine." She appraised Walter's body once more. His calf muscles were corded and strong, and there was a soft dusting of blonde and brown hairs facing their fronts. Walter did leap a great deal in battle, so his legs being well toned wasn't too much a surprise. That didn't mean they still caught her off guard. If only that black towel blocking what she really wanted to see wasn't in the way. Quickly, she progressed with her unabashed gazes. There was that six pack, tight and well defined. The scars climbing around his muscles winked at her mischievously, and her hand itched to trace each and every one. Back at where she started, Walter's face, she resisted the urge to lick her lips. The man made her too damn antsy now that the mental blockades in her mind were dispersed of. Walter crossed his capable arms, jutting his hip to the side and raising his delicate black brow.

"Are you finished, Mistress?" He had been highly aware of Lorelei's progression up his naked body. He wiped at his hair one more time and then tossed the extra towel from around his shoulders into his laundry hamper.

"Yes I am. At least for now, Walter." The butler's smirk did not leave his face, as if he was waiting for a blow to the gut. Perhaps that was what she was going to do next. It was either now or never."Did last night truly happen?" Lorelei bit the inside of her cheek as she nervously awaited his answer. He didn't hesitate. Walter wanted this interrogation to be over with.

"Oh, yes, Mistress, it did." His response was like a slicing sword, but she pressed on, determined to ride her wave of gumption.

"I told you that I like you," she pronounced each word clearly to avoid the natural stutter trying to break free from her lips, "and you let me be?" _  
_"My lady, yes, it is all true. You threw yourself upon me, declaring your devotion, and then fell asleep." He shrugged. "I did not wish to take advantage of you whilst you were inebriated. What kind of man would I be if I ravished a drunken maiden?" He smirked. As he was talking, he held his hand out as if he were holding his precious wires. There were none to be found, leading her to believe that his stance was born of a nervous tick. If so, _was_ he getting nervous? Was this hitting a hidden cove within his mind?

"You really should have. Taken advantage of me, I mean. I really did mean it, drunk or not. I…I think that I really like you." She bit her lip, not truly believing that she possessed the drive to confess to him again, even after the fiasco from last night. She twisted her fingers together upon her lap, and decided being coy would not get her what she wanted. She squared her shoulders and watched the emotions rapidly flash across Walter's face. At first he was surprised. His pupils dilated, and his sturdy chest took in more air. His ears turned raspberry red, letting the glint of silver earring clasps encapsulate his earlobes. Then, he wearily closed his eyes. His lips turned down. Deflated.

"I surmised you were more interested in Alucard or even Master Arthur. In fact, I thought that you despised me." Walter did not meet her passionate gaze, and focused upon the nightstand where his monocle lay. She hadn't noticed that a picture frame stood ominously next to his eye ware. It was of a severely younger Walter hanging onto a tiny Arthur's sleeve. The miniature versions of these larger than life men made her smile inwardly. Outside, she was on fire.

"Alucard and Arthur do not make me burn like you do. Walter, I know now, and I'm sorry it took me this long. You were such a brat when we met. You cut me down when I was trying to grow. I never forgave that and punished you for a child's misgivings. Alucard, as crass as he was, helped me understand my heart and what you mean to me." She held her breath and tried. "I want you, Walter. No other man will do." The blood in her body boiled, singing a melody of hope. Being a meek mouse wouldn't do, and as she thought, she had to be bold. Lorelei got to her feet.

"You, want me?" Walter repeated her words as if he needed another confirmation, to test them. As if he couldn't quite believe this could be reality. He held his fingers to his lips, failing in covering the expression of being stricken. He shook his head like he was trying to clear the clutter chittering in his mind until he stopped. Then, as if trading in his mask of tenderness to another mold altogether, Walter's face darkened. He located her with an eerie accuracy, and Lorelei stopped in her tracks. Walter stalked towards her, those silver and violet eyes bleeding into a red gleam. There was that predatory panther taking the leap for his prey."Sear those words into your head, Mistress," he hissed through his teeth. The intonation of his growl soon became guttural. "Do not forget them. I tend to hold longer grudges than you, and I do not fancy sharing you now that you've finally become mine."

Lorelei yelped as Walter pounced. She fell straight back onto the bed, legs hanging over the edge. Walter pinned her with his strong, wiry arms, drowning her in the leftover mist of his shower. He had done nothing as of yet. He simply held her the bed. Walter observed her, waiting for something. His straight nose touched hers, and they were painfully close and far. They shared their breath, an action she did not know could be so intimate. Why wasn't the damn man kissing her? With a start, she understood that he was waiting for her to initiate anything beyond what he was offering now. He was the butler, and she his Mistress. He would do as she commanded.

"Walter, I want you to kiss me."

The butler growled and bent down to taste the woman he had longed for. Their lips met in a tumble, so eager were the two that it took a few seconds for them to reassemble and try once more. Their second kiss was engineered to explore the facets they had only imagined in their darkest dreams. Walter moaned into Lorelei's mouth, and her eyelashes fluttered from the utter lust she felt filter into her entity just from that one sound. She grabbed at the butler's back, latching onto him with her nails. He produced a sound of approval as he nipped at her lips, most likely bruising the soft flesh, and secured his waist between her legs. A sweet build up of curls of pleasure was stoked through her stomach and groin. Wave after wave collapsed inside of her, ready to break free. She was more drunk with just one kiss from Walter C. Dornez than nine glasses of wine.

Walter kissed a hungry pattern down her neck and collar bone, chuckling when she pleadingly bucked into him. He pressed his torso closer to hers, and she cursed at the persistent towel wrapped around the man's hips. Actually, her clothing had been a bother to her since last night. How could she take them off with Walter's large hands gripping her wrists to either side of her head? That was when he artfully tugged the bodice of her dress down with his perfectly white teeth, almost reading her mind's desire. Her breasts popped out awake, pink, and perky. She gasped with the sudden cold, and from the giddiness bubbling in her chest.

"I have been wanting to do that since you first sat on me. Your chest is a weapon, poppet," Walter purred from between her two mounds. He slyly took her right nipple into his mouth, sliding his heated tongue over its tip. As his repeated this motion twice over, he began to suck, gently grazing his teeth over the puckered flesh. She groaned, needing to grasp his hair between her fingers, but held back by the manacle of his hands. She chose to grind her pelvis into the black towel, hoping to feel the source of the heat beneath against her. After the butler switched his administrations to her left breast, Walter groaned and relented. He released her right hand to pull off the hated piece of fabric from his hips. The item thumped to the ground like a rock.

"Let me look at you," Lorelei groaned, finally able to pet Walter's head. His hair was as soft as the down of a newborn kitten. The locks filtered over her ministrations like curling waves of the frothy black sea. There was something that she had yearned to do to her butler the moment she realized that he was the one she had been waiting to give herself to. And as her butler, Walter obeyed. He let her get up and turn him around until he was the one sitting on the edge of the bed. She pulled up her dress to cover her breasts more to protect herself from the cold than to keep Walter's ravenous eyes from piercing into her any longer. Actually, she enjoyed the attention, but what she wanted to do next would take away his stares at her chest well enough.

"Poppet, whatever do you have planned for this lowly butler?" Walter rested his hands at either side of himself, and he coolly cocked his head to his left. His legs were completely spread apart, leaving his impressive male anatomy completely exposed and loaded from a cluster of curly brown hairs. Walter smirked, that animal within roaring with a certain cockiness he was about to lose once she was finished with him. He knew exactly what she _had planned_ for him. Time to sweep him off of his feet. Or at least the bed.

"A special surprise. Now be a good butler and close your eyes. I'm about to give you your end of the year bonus." He was not a good boy, and he did not close his eyes, but Lorelei got onto her knees to present him with his bonus. To get a few things straight, Lorelei was a virgin, yes, but she had been around the block. She knew how to give a man his pleasure through clasping her small mouth around his member, hands safely secured. She could pull at the length, swirling her tongue playfully as her hands rhythmically pumped in syncopation. All this she threw at Walter. He was long, and so she couldn't quite fit all of him in her mouth, but she did a great job trying, letting his length reach the back of her throat. The throbbing vein and heat of his member was tell tale enough that she was doing perfectly.

"Mistress, please go faster," Walter breathed. The plea came as a groan, guttural and fierce. His hands were atop her head, her hair completely undone from last night, and he grasped at the strands in anticipated rapture. She obeyed, transforming her long, steady licks to a pronounced suck. For a twist, she removed one hand to fondle his scrotum, and he groaned lowly. A needy little butler, he helped her along, pulling her head back and forth while softly thrusting into her mouth. She couldn't help but finger herself. His groans of pleasure were too much to leave alone. Finally, he came in a long, spurting rush, and her soon after. Lorelei coughed from the rush of liquids tumbling into her mouth, but was able to swallow the rest in two gulps. She licked Walter clean and crawled back to him. He snatched at her, hugging her to him like he was afraid she would disappear. Startled, she patted his head until he released her. They kissed over and over again, giggling into the pillows, caught in their lover's pillow talk.

"I…I abhor cutting this short. I almost forgot myself. Breakfast must be served, and you must be washed and dressed. We are to meet with Sir Arthur in regards to the mission in Ireland." Walter had taken a look at his grandfather clock. It was almost eight in the morning. Food needed to be served at nine. For what it was worth, he truly wore the pain of their parting on his proverbial sleeve.

"What if I don't want to stop now? Aren't you my butler? Do you not need to fulfill my desires to the point?" Lorelei licked Walter's nipples and he curdled in her arms.

"Curse your manipulations. Of course I must do everything within my power to sate your needs, but Sir Arthur will wonder where I have been if I do not deliver on my services."

"Walter…"

"Mistress, I promise, when we arrive in Ireland away from Arthur, then I shall show you the true depths of my passions. For now, we must keep our tryst a secret. Arthur adopted me from…terrible circumstances. I would be a sour friend indeed if he found out what type of conduct I held with his fiancée." Walter brushed his thumb across her lips. He was in such pain, torn between his position as a trusting butler with his master, and the need to explore this brand new chapter with Lorelei at his side.

"Yes, I understand. We will have to figure this whole mess out. I wonder if I could dissolve our engagement, but still stay as a maid. You do need some help, don't you?" She wriggled her hips between his, and he cursed under his breath from the friction. "I don't want to part now that I've finally figured out what I really want. You better make do on your promises in Ireland. Leave it to me, Walter. I'll talk to Arthur." The butler sighed and kissed the top of Lorelei's head.

"As compensation, let me escort you to your chambers. Perhaps I may have time to help select your clothing of the day?" He raised his eyebrows in a silent bid for a peep show.

"Not a fair trade, but I shall take it. Please do be a gentleman, and buttle me to the guest wing."

Walter quickly got dressed as Lorelei straightened what she could of her attire. Her whole body was buzzing with excitement. They both felt the same about each other. He wanted her as much as she. The whole situation was too good to be true from how terribly she once treated the man. She watched his bare, heart shaped butt as he pulled on undergarments and then his breeches. He turned to find her staring, and slipped on his signature grin.

"Enjoying my show, Mistress?"

"Always," she replied, dreamily. As if his heart also flipped, he cleared his throat and adorned a gray and black pinstripe vest to cover his gray undershirt. There was something highly seductive about how he fit the buttons through the slots of his vest and then eventually his outer black coat. She asked if she could try a hair design with him, and he allowed her to draw a brush through his hair. Lorelei ended up creating a half ponytail, leaving his bangs to hang side swept favoring the left. He said that she did a wonderful job, and she felt the praise settle in her stomach like a delicious ripe strawberry. Today, he were his silver spectacles. What an impressive butler he was, and he now belonged to her. The golden ring set with a ruby gem seemingly tightened around her ring finger. She scowled inwardly. There was no way she was going to honor any marriage contract with Arthur now that she understood who she truly loved. Her heart sang at the thought. _Love_. _Truly?_

"Shall we be off, Mistress?"

"Yes, good sir." She hooked her arm around his, and they made in the direction of her chambers. The two basked in their closeness. Had it really been up until now that they offered an olive branch? All those wasted moments!

"Here we are, Mistress." Walter left Lorelei waiting so that he may open the door. As he did, there was a slight _click_ that had never accompanied the opening of her door previously. Walter's eyes grew to saucers. He whipped around with inhuman speed and jumped on top of Lorelei, covering her prone body with his. A deafening roar followed. Lorelei could not see what was occurring around them, only feel the tightening of Walter's protective arms around her and hear the chunks of plaster pin-balling around the manor. She gripped Walter's arms in fear. _Please, don't let him get hurt._

When the clattering of what she supposed was wood and metal finished cascading from wall to wall, Walter slumped. She held up his weight, suddenly terrified. Lorelei had been closing her eyes during the impact of what she assumed was a blast, and she opened them wide to assess the situation. First, she had to make sure the butler was okay. She pulled Walter up by the shoulders, straining at her attempt. He was still clutching her. Walter shook his head and pulled enough away to check on her.

"Are you alright, poppet?" His violet eyes were panicked. He wasn't scared for his life, but what could have happened to her. She was about to say that she was fine, just that her ears hurt from the sound of the explosion with a couple scratches on her hands, until she spied something far more concerning protruding behind the butler.

"Me? You have a piece of wood sticking from your shoulder! Are _you_ alright?" It was true. A slim plank of wood was plunged into his shoulder blade. The wound was superficial for it had not pierced anything vital, but just the sight of the damage produced a rage so vial within her gut that she was afraid she would be the next to explode. This had to be the work of Arthur's power hungry and super ridiculous family.

"It's nothing I cannot handle." Walter tenderly brushed Lorelei's face with the back of his hand. The sweet gesture mimicked the one he dropped upon her lap when they spoke in the training facility over a week prior. Her heart fluttered anew with this blossoming love. A love that was far stronger than the hate she clung to for so long. It was nice to have a change of heart. And those who had hurt Walter would pay with their spines torn out. As if reading her mind, Walter chuckled.

"We may have to wait on that, poppet." He leaned over and pecked her upon the lips. They parted in time for the arrival of pounding footsteps. It was Arthur. He was in a state of dishevelment. His white undershirt was hastily buttoned the wrong way, and the fly to his pants was still undone. He quickly took stock of the two before returning his attentions to his manor. Luckily, they did not have to explain the position they shared, for it was easy to interpret Walter saving his Mistress's life by using himself as a shield.

"My god!" Arthur crowed. The blonde man surveyed the damage to his manor. Lorelei's entire room was blown out. Whatever contents that were inside were in neat smithereens. The summer air outside drifted inside of the manor, and a few starlings fluttered inside to perch on what used to be Lorelei's bed. They twittered about in a sweet manor in contrast to the destruction displayed around them. A couple shards of Lorelei's mirror were stuck inside of the wall next to her. If Walter had not saved her when he did, those pieces what have cut some very important arteries.

Arthur lifted his hands to his head. "They really did have time enough to set a bomb. You were right, Lorelei. How the hell did they manage that? Walter, did you," When he turned to check on his butler, he saw the piece of wood sticking out of the man's shoulder blade. Walter was currently pulling the stick out. It wouldn't bleed too much, but Lorelei was still worried as he tossed the wood to the floor. "Oh, I'll leave you to it then." Arthur waved at his butler, who in turned waved back. Arthur directed his attention on his fiancée. "Lorelei, were you hurt as well?"

"Just a few cuts. They don't hurt at all. But we must get Walter to an infirmary to get his wound patched."

"There's no need. I suppose it is what I deserve for keeping my attentions elsewhere," Walter interjected. The implications of his words almost made her flush. He shouldn't berate himself for failing to locate a bomb. He was busy taking care of her. And if they actually made it to her room last night in the state they were, then the damage from the bomb would have been much worse. Most likely fatal.

"As long as you two are fine for now, then I guess we truly do have to get down to business. Let's skip breakfast for the time being." Arthur scrubbed at the back of his head in agitation. He then brought a strange device out from his breeches pocket. He raised the item to his lips and yelled, "Alucard, the meeting has been rescheduled. Get your non-bomb-detecting-vampire-ass up here or so help me!" There was a muffled response from the device, and Arthur angrily slammed it back into his pocket. He growled a little until he turned to the two still splayed on the floor. Arthur helped Lorelei to her feet and then Walter.

"I have a feeling that if we follow this Oliver, then we shall also locate the person who bombed my manor."

"I thought it was Richard, Arnold, Emma, and Louise." Lorelei wanted to lean against Walter. She was shaking from the trauma, but she knew she had to be strong. Right now wasn't the time to declare her undying love towards Arthur's butler. She sensed that they shared a strong relationship, and she did not wish the hurt either one of them by bursting in. Walter slightly grazed his shoulder with hers, and she settled down, now focused on what Arthur was explaining.

"I have a few ideas of who targeted you. By investigating London, we drove out the rats. Now we must cut off the head of the king of those rats." They followed Arthur not to where Lorelei expected to return to, the parlor room, but to his personal study. The sight of the large windows overseeing the Hellsing property was almost nostalgic. Arthur flung himself into the seat at the head of the desk while Lorelei sat down in the exact chair she had collapsed in on the first day Arthur propositioned her. Walter, who was slowly bleeding from the wound on his shoulder, took his place next to his master, hands behind his back. She yearned to hug the butler. How did she stand the distance before? They shared a brief exchange of glances, and that was enough to warm her chilled nerves for now.

"Did you ring?" Came Alucard's booming voice. He was just in time.

The vampire master phased through the wall opposite of the group. He was smirking, wearing all black for once. A black, v-necked shirt, black bell bottom jeans, and black cuffs serving as bracelets around each wrist. Only those orange shades stayed the exact same. Alucard had his long hair in a low ponytail similar to Walter's usual look. It was odd to see the style on the vampire.

"Yes, I did. Alucard, wipe that smirk off of your face. I'll get to the point. Did you let them plant that bomb on purpose?" For once, Arthur was not smiling. He looked a bit disgusted at the vampire who merely leaned against a filing cabinet in indifference.

"Who, me? Why would I endanger your fiancée? I am here to serve and protect the Hellsings, master." His rows of white teeth gleamed from his gums as he spoke. "Your blood were the ones who brought the damn contraption. Someone else toyed with it later. I had nothing to do with it."

"I don't care. Dammit Alucard, if you were bored, then you should have asked for approval to leave. Well, I have what you want," Arthur shook a piece of paper in frustration at Alucard, who only placidly stared. "My contact in Ireland has secured a base of execution. I want Walter and Lorelei to meet him where they can then figure a mode of attack. I want the organization of lycanthropes demolished." Arthur watched Lorelei and Walter as they nodded at his instructions. He then pounded his fist on the desk to emphasize his mounting anger.

"And Alucard, you shall only be the back up. If you find that the situation requires your assistance, then I want you to do your worst, but only if the situations calls for it. Do you understand?" Arthur slammed the piece of paper, the paper from his contact, onto the table, disrupting a few files.

"You want me to do nothing? After they killed all of those children? After they murdered all those parents?" The smirk was gone now. "How can you not make use of your most power weapon against these fuckers?"

"Alucard, you are a powerful drug. If we keep using you for situations like these, how will we learn to stop? In truth, the way you are wound up now, I'm afraid you would lose yourself in bloodlust. Don't deny that you have been in them before and lost sight of yourself. Where we are going is populated by many innocent citizens. If I order you right off to destroy the lycanthropes, yes you will have them all killed, but I can sense you will go through the extent of your power. I cannot abide the blood of innocents on my hands."

"There already is enough blood from many bodies upon your palms," Alucard hissed. "The only way to wash them clean is to completely dispose of those who forced your hand."

"Alucard!" Arthur stood, his eyes blazing in a cold fury. A cloud hovered in front of the warm rays of the sun, instantly darkening the man's study. His eyes glimmered. For once, he was not jovial or kind. He was a leader. Arthur weighed through every decision. Every life and death must be taken into consideration. He understood Alucard's lust for justice would ultimately bring in bystanders to their graves. The benefits did not overcome the deficient. Alucard straightened, baring his teeth in a feral growl. Arthur growled back. "You shall obey my commands. I _know_ you are aware why you have been set as my plan B, and I am sorry I must place you in this position, but **you shall not disobey me, vampire!** "

The manor must have forgotten that just outside, it was a comfortable summer day. It might as well been the Arctic from the tendrils of freezing ice pouring from Arthur and Alucard, staring in a gritty battle of wits. At last, Alucard sighed. Defeated. Arthur was correct. The vampire would not spare a soul. His judgement would be clouded. The vampire knelt to one knee, one arm across his stomach, and bent his head.

"I shall obey whatever you wish me to accomplish, Sir Arthur Hellsing. But know when you do wish for me to tear apart the bones and marrow of our enemies, anyone saved too late would be weight upon your shoulders. Not mine."

Arthur's left eye twitched, but he did not back down. He pulled a case of cigars from his desk, fished out a plump one, and hurriedly lit it. The smoke wafted under Lorelei's nose as the red bud of the stick glowed dangerously. The head of the Hellsing Organization sat back down, shuffling through the messy papers that he had previously flung around on his desk in his haste. Lorelei took a breath and asked a question, breaking the eerie calm that had collected like dust.

"When do we depart?"

Arthur stiffened as if he forgot that anyone else was there other than himself and Alucard. He faced the vampire hunter and attempted a smile.

"We leave tonight. And this time, I'm coming with you."

…

"Why did you have to come again, Sir Arthur?"

They were currently aboard a passenger plane heading towards Dublin, Ireland. A female attendant with a large ass had rolled her trolley down the plane's aisle, placing a glass of whiskey on the rocks before Walter, who swiftly downed it in one gulp. He wasn't used to being served, usually living life on the other side of the looking glass. The butler was seated next to Arthur, who had already joined the mile high club with the attendant a half hour ago in the plane's lavatory, was skimming the headlines in the newspaper. Walter began drinking to mute the moaning splintering from the near by room until Arthur returned to read once more.

Walter gripped the glass in his fingerless gloves and let his eyes rove over to Lorelei. She was up ahead reading a book of all things. How he would enjoy taking her to the back and making due on his earlier promise. He groaned, raising his hand for another drink. Why did Arthur have to be here? The butler understood that clearing out a lycanthrope nest wouldn't be all flowers and sunshine, but couldn't he have a little piece of the cake? Just for once?

He watched as Lorelei's lips moved as if to read along with this lines of her novel. Walter smiled lovingly. And yet, she was his now. There would be all the time in the world to make and keep many more promises. Arthur glanced at the beaming butler, who in turn upturned his whiskey glass to his lips until the liquid ran dry and grinned ear to ear. There. Let him think the whiskey was the culprit.

"I am coming with you because the defenses at the manor clearly are not up to par with whatever we are up against. I shall be in danger no matter where I am. I can at least be of use killing a few beasts than sitting in my study mucking up the shelves." Arthur lifted his brow in an attempt at humor. "You're lucky I don't have access to the kitchen this time." Walter ignored said attempt.

"Sir, there is a large difference in staying away from danger versus dropping yourself inside of an active volcano."

"Walter, you must learn how to create more suitable metaphors. You could have gone with, _going straight to grandma's house to greet the wolf_ or, _building my house with straw intentionally_."

"Master, speaking plainly, to hell with the metaphors. How am I to concentrate on my job if I'm busy saving you and the girl?" Walter let the ice cube in he glass clink from side to side.

"Walter, if you have not noticed, the _girl_ has a high rate of vampire kills along with ghouls and werewolves. And as for myself, I am wicked with a sword and a pistol. You need to learn to relax."

"Relax whilst disposing of miscreants, that should be a new exercise," Walter sighed, staring at the window and taking in the sights below.

"Sarcasm is an old trick I thought I trashed, Walter. I know that you don't get drunk easily, especially after only three glasses. I expected some rebuttal from Alucard, not my butler. What has gotten into you?" Arthur seemed more amused than miffed. Walter wondered what to say when he was saved from this inquisition by the ringing of the overhead monitor.

 _Please buckle up your seat belts. We are going to descend and thereupon land. Thank you kindly for riding with us today._

Walter watched Lorelei dutifully buckled up. He wanted to jump over there, sit on her lap, and give her the time of her life with a good pegging. The butler sniffed and sipped the melted ice in his glass. She was going to be the end of him if he actually gave into those types of impulses.

The aircraft landed, and the group piled out and into the receiving area. Alucard was missing, seeing as he was tucked snugly inside of his coffin once more. This time, they had found an extremely large box to fit around the wooden creation. Hopefully, there would be no prying eyes. The vampire would be delivered to their hotel room, seeing as they abandoned the pretense of squalor for this round trip. The group knew that the lycanthropes sent out probes to find them and didn't want to bother with pretenses other than with Alucard's coffin. What the enemy was unaware of was that they had done the same.

Lorelei looked around the airport, wondering who in the world they were going to meet with and who this contact was. Arthur seemed slightly distressed as if he did not actually think of his contact as a true comrade. The only other being who elicited this type of behavior from her fiancé was Alucard. She hardened her expectations so if she were wrong, nothing would come from her interpretations. And yet if she were correct, then they were in for a long, long mission.

"Aye, Hellsing, over here!" A blond head bobbed over a sea of chattering citizens.

"Anderson!" Yelled Arthur, waving a gloved hand above Lorelei's shoulders. She watched as a tall man dressed in a silver trench coat, spectacles, and black pants emerged from the sea of faces. He had an evil grin upon his lips, much like a certain vampire's. He seemed to be as much unbound as any other of the group, and Lorelei wondered what Arthur had gotten them into.

"Lorelei, Walter, this is Alexander Anderson. He is from the Vatican and part of the Iscariot branch. He was temporarily sent here to scout out for the undead, but was given direct orders from the Pope. He will help us in our endeavors to destroy the lycanthropes." Arthur eyed the tall man as if he was daring the other to say anything against his proprietor. The man with spiky light blonde hair rubbed his hands together, and Lorelei saw strange writing upon the gloves he wore. The shine of his cross distracted her from fully deciphering the script.

"Aye, we are allies for now, protestant swine." Anderson chuckled. "Speakin' of the pope, this came straight from the man himself. I understand it is some sort of agreement you two bubbled up for what we're bout to do, but I care none of that. Just let me at the bloody monsters, then I'll be on me way." Anderson handed Arthur a rolled up scroll of white parchment tied with a black string. Arthur slipped the item in his satchel without reading it. Perhaps he already knew what he was going to read.

"Thank you, Anderson." Lorelei could tell it was painful to speak pleasantly with the tall, blonde man. The man in question turned to face Walter and herself.

"And who might the wisp of a man and the lass be?"

"This wisp is Walter C. Dornez, otherwise known as the Angel of Death." Walter cracked his knuckles. Lorelei wasn't used to the butler being so openly hostile and wondered if she had something to do with the sudden change. Either that or the whiskey she spied him drinking like water on the airplane.

"Nice ta meet ya, Angel of Death," Anderson barked. He smacked the butler on the back. If Walter hadn't precipitated the attack, he would have been sent flying from the sheer velocity of the priest's welcome. Walter didn't fly. He only _oomphed_ and rubbed the ache from his still injured shoulder blade. Lorelei suspected that Anderson knew of Walter's injury and stepped closer to the imposing man. From a better inspection, she saw weapons holstered at his sides.

"And I am Lorelei Richford. A woman you dare not mess with lest you wish to lose your guts." She briefly brushed aside her own trench coat, showing off her deadly blade and daggers. Anderson laughed a devil's cry, causing the crowd around him to pause and watch the crazy man chortle until he ran out of any more laughs to spare. Lorelei grimaced along with Walter and Arthur. Anderson would be a rough one to work side by side with.

"You're a tough lass! I like that in a fightin' companion. You better hold yer weight in the heat of battle because with fervor like that, I won't be lookin' to protect ya!" He bared his large teeth in a delirious smirk.

"If we weren't in the middle of an airport, I would take that as an offer for a duel. Seeing as we **are** in the middle of damned airport, you'll due to hold your fruitless insults until _the heat of battle._ " Lorelei huffed and walked passed Anderson. He chortled, following the group once Walter and Arthur caught up with the Mistress.

 _This will serve to be a most interesting mission_ , Lorelei mentally groaned. With Walter there and her unable to touch him. With Arthur present, to which she must protect him. A peeved vampire master who would be used as the last weapon up their sleeves. And now, a piggish priest with a maniacal grin. The fun just kept coming.


	8. Part Eight: Prepare

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and _graphic_ _sexual_ _relations_. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. It seems as though there is a journey up ahead. As such, I believe that a sole cup of steaming hot coco would be the best to warm one up. Add a few plain buttered scones if your belly needs to be filled. See you on the flip side.

Part Eight: Prepare

"Let's get down to business. What can you tell us about the leader of this lycanthrope pack?" Arthur was perched on a grand cushioned armchair in his personal suite. He specifically asked for a refrigerator full of alcoholic samplers. He already downed a tiny bottle of cognac. Each person in their party was granted a room that all interconnected with each other. They would most assuredly not have any privacy unless they barred the entrances with chairs and chain locks, which Lorelei already had done due to Arthur's inability to knock.

Lorelei and Arthur shared a bathroom while Anderson and Walter fought between their own. Alucard chose to lock himself inside of his own chamber, refusing to speak with anyone. Arthur gave up trying to persuade the vampire master to leave to gather more intel, and assumed that Alucard would use his vampire hearing if he was truly willing to gain more details on outside sources.

Anderson chose a plain, wooden chair half his size to rest in. He bent over his knees, watching the rag tag team intently. The rough patch of facial hair gracing his profile was longer than when Lorelei had first seen it. There was some soft red tones to it that she never noticed before. He regarded Arthur with a sour expression. Lips drawn and spectacles gleaming from the sunlight filtering inside of the room.

"The bastard is a slippery one. Makes sure to keep hidden, that's one thing for sure." Anderson held his hands together, observing the odd writing on his gloves. The cross upon his broad chest hovered in the air as the man leaned over, catching Lorelei's attention. "But what's for certain is that the 'thropes are doin' the same here as they did in London. There are currently five schools finding breedin' stock n' chucking the disposed parents into major rivers; Boyne, Shannon, Suir, Nore, Blackwater, Liffey—you name it, they threw it." The priest unclasped his hands and fished in a pocket of his silver jacket for a toothpick. Again, his sharp blade flashed from under his coat. With prize in tow, he meticulously scraped the piece of wood across his teeth.

"Any luck in locating Oliver?" Walter stood with arms crossed at the suite's entrance. He had placed wires meticulously outside of the room to foretell of any interested interlopers. They couldn't let their guard down. The team was intruding inside of the enemy's home base. Walter absently fiddled with the silver clasp on his earlobe, his focus entirely on a spot somewhere on Anderson's face. He was trying not to notice Lorelei's belt and how easily it could be undone. It was better to watch the muscle in Anderson's throat twitch than to entertain his wonderfully dark thoughts. The others did not need to see his excited plain as day on the front of his trousers.

"Aye. That's why I rose the flag. I tracked all the known cases of the 'thrope attacks n' found that, even though they seemed random, there was a ragged radius, a core if ye will, to which the slaughters originated. I trecked over n' staked out a few days to make sure, n' there the bastards were, all furry, the shiters. They were struttin' about with their teeth bared n' claws extended. The devil's spawn." Anderson chuckled. "All but one of em' changed for some ritual. _All but one, I say_. I'd bet me immortal soul that one was Oliver."

"Why do you think he didn't change?" Lorelei perched atop the fluffy king sized bed, swinging her legs to occupy her jittery nerves. She was aware of Walter's previous appraisal of her body and felt the appropriate thrill of excitement pulse through her veins. She, too, was trying not to look at the butler's rear and how snug it was in those tight black pants he wore. Her own way to avoid her tempestuous thoughts examine Arthur's tailored suit. There was a thread loose on the rim of his left sleeve. It was bothering her to infinite ends.

"Most likely because it wasn't a 'thrope." Now that got everyone's attention. Arthur, Walter, and Lorelei all pinned their scrutiny on the priest. He knew that he finally got them now.

"Not a lycanthrope? How do you know for sure?" Walter uncrossed his arm and straightened. He finished playing with his clasp and had moved to the locks of ebony hair cupping his face. They were still in the style Lorelei appointed to him. He had grown a liking to the half ponytail.

"I don't know how you were able to locate the 'thropes before, and I don't care about your lousy methods. For me, alls I have to do is look at 'em, n' I know." The priest flicked the toothpick directly into a trash bin a yard away. His aim was deadly accurate. "It's how I was trained since I was a wee lad. I can understand when I see shit."

Lorelei quickly took note that Arthur did not fully expose his ace up the sleeve. Was Anderson aware that if they did not succeed in their endeavors to exterminate all of the lycanthropes, that Alucard would fully be unleashed upon their nest? Would Anderson even work with them if he, a priest from the Vatican, knew of their alliance with, or more likely servitude of Alucard the vampire? Judging by the priest's barbed insults and reluctance to abide fully to the Pope's commands, then the best answer would be no. No, he would not work with a group willing to associate with the undead. Arthur made the right move. She would also have to take care in keeping Alucard secret.

"Best to also mention that Oliver isn't a male. It's a strapping lass. She somehow has the balls to be the alpha to an entire 'thrope pack!" Anderson threw back his head and whooped. His spectacles glowed blue as he regained himself. "She's a beaut, with skin as brown as caramel tea and hair capturing the shine of a milky dawn. Ye lads better watch yourselves."

"Oliver is a human woman." Arthur pursed his lips, withdrawing into himself as he tried to make sense of the loose scraps. He brushed his thumb over his pointed jawline. "And she would go through such lengths as to destroy her own people to cover evidence of lycanthrope existence. Something isn't adding up."

"Does it truly matter anymore?" Anderson jumped to his feet. The floor trembled under the forced bottled up inside of the eager priest. "We are here to kill the pests. Not sympathize with 'em."

"No. I'm not going as far as to sympathize, perchance. The lycanthropes are a blight that must be removed, and yet, if this Oliver's true intent is to _not_ save the lycanthropes…they so clearly think it is…damn, something smells like a trap. This woman being human complicates matters. Not to mention the attack Lorelei suffered at my very own manor…" Arthur bit his thumb, his eyes widening in his endeavor to uncover the truth.

"Arthur does have a point," Walter interjected. "It seems as though we are being pushed in this direction for a specific reason." The butler watched his master, wanting to solve the riddle for him, but as clueless as the man before him. A muscle jumped at Walter's jaw in his strain to produce an answer.

"Walter, Arthur, you both admitted to clearing out a lycanthrope pack ten years ago. I know we brought it up before, but shelved it. I have to ask again, though. Do you think that the attacks are in result of your past efforts? Is this Oliver out for revenge for the lycanthropes killed?" Lorelei crossed her legs, feeling a chill chime down her back like the tolling of a bell. She didn't want to think about it too much. Lorelei needed to assume all of the lycanthropes were out to destroy humanity. At least, all the ones in Oliver's pack. She couldn't afford relating to woman who cherished a lycanthrope killed by Walter and Alucard.

"There is a high possibility that you are correct," Walter affirmed, his voice like icicles as if he had read her mind. "If this were any other ploy to procreate, why would they need a human woman commanding them? Furthermore, why would she promise such lies of lycanthrope replenishment only to kill both her own kind and the other? Arthur, should we really go in blindly now that we are aware of this?" The butler somehow slipped his hands into his pockets. Lorelei wondered how he could control his wires as such, but was more amazed that his tight pants would allow the intrusion of his slim hands.

"Hey now, whelps! Don't try n' put your tails between yer legs!" Anderson growled, gripping his fists into solid mallets. "I came here to kill me some 'thropes, that's all. I'm not interested in the why and how, just the when. If you won't come with me, then I'll go me self!" He threw a mix between a smirk and grimace to Arthur. "And I'll let the Pope know of your actions today. So if you want to honor whatever you brewed with him, then I suggest you all come with me. If not, then you may all kindly rot in Hell."

If silence were an action, it would be the strained expression written painfully upon Arthur's visage. He struggled, trying to locate a path where everyone won. He obviously needed to have the Pope's approval on something. Something important enough to traipse into a potential trap that potentially kill them all. Arthur, now with a damp sheen of sweat on his profile, shook his head. His golden strands of wild hair fell limp. This time, he was the one defeated.

"We'll go Anderson. Don't get your kilt in a bundle. I only ask that we may use precaution when entering their territory. We must be under constant vigilance," the head of the Hellsing organization deeply sighed. He mopped his face clean from sweat with a silver handkerchief. "I've set a Plan B in place that I severely do not desire to lean upon. We mustn't make any brash mistakes."

"We'll agree to meet in the middle, then. Don't make mistakes. Easy talk. Gah, you protestants and your damnable requests. We sure as Hell don't need a plan B if I'm with ye." Anderson rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand, obviously frustrated by the reluctance to proceed now that they were finally on the cusp of a grand battle.

"Mr. Anderson, did you uncover an appropriate time to execute our attack?" Walter tugged at one of the wires he had planted outside. The corner of his mouth turned up. No one had discovered them as of yet.

"You twits and your questions! Aye, most of the beasts congregate in a dell near Athlone..."

"That far away?" Lorelei mused out loud. She then remembered that the airport in Dublin was one of the few commercial landing pads in Ireland. In fact, the wisest choice was to stay far enough away while they planned their attack. She shook her head, her strawberry stands swaying from one side to the other. "Never mind."

"Looks like we'll have to hoof it," Arthur drawled. Athlone was a good three hours away and was a budding city attraction. The dells must be covert if regular people had overlooked a grouping of supernatural creatures coming out and changing under a vast night sky. Arthur shrugged. "Good thing I have a rental car or two ready to do the job of getting us there. If we're going to slaughter lycanthropes, then we might as well drive in style. A 1961 Ferrari GT California Spider or two shouldn't hurt with the ladies." Lorelei almost choked on the air itself. How was _renting_ those?

"As I was sayin'!" Anderson growled. There was another toothpick in his grip, and he swirled the object with ease around his fingertips. "After the few weeks I spent watchin' the 'thropes, I noticed a pattern where they all gather on phases of the moon. The next phase is the full moon. Heh, followin' tropes of their kind, ain't they?" Now there was a question the entire team pondered. If the lycanthropes weren't under direct control of the moon's cycles, then why would they make an effort to congregate during the full moon phase?

"So that would mean we should be ready to attack by Tuesday the 27th," Walter mused out loud. "We should travel light and leave our possessions here." He inclined a brow at Arthur. The other man grimly nodded. Lorelei assumed the exchange had something to do with leaving Alucard to his devices until the final stroke of a bell. No use carrying a coffin and raising Anderson's suspicions. Walter had already managed to sneak the coffin into their hotel, and it would all be for nought if they got caught.

"That leaves us a day and a half. We should stock up on any weapons now and leave by tonight." Lorelei wanted to find more silver bullets. She already filled her guns to the brim, but it never hurt to be over supplied. To her chagrin, she learned that Walter was an expert at crafting multiple types of artillery; guns, cannons, grenades. The guns Alucard toted were the products of Walter's deft hands. Perhaps she could ask him to make some bullets for her and even her very own watermarked Walter gun. Maybe he could do something else for her, too. She smirked and raised her head at Walter. He sucked in one side of his cheek in turn, and a dark glimmer graced his glowing violet eyes.

"Then I advise ya twats to rest up. I'm not waitin' any longer. I'm here for blood, and I'll get it, by damned." The priest stormed over to the door where Walter was guarding. The butler swiftly retracted his wires and stepped out of Anderson's way. "I'll meet you all outside the hotel at nine. Be ready." With that, the tall and imposing priest had vanished.

"Lovely man," Walter commented happily. He waited until Anderson's pounding steps hit the end of the hallway and could no longer be heard. "Are we to truly trust such a priest? He seems as brash as Alucard. That is never a good comparison."

"He has no choice but to follow the Pope's orders whether he wants to or not. And yes, we do need him. He _is_ part of the Iscariot. The man was engineered to fight against the supernatural: he truly is the not-so-immortal human version of Alucard with an added positive that Anderson would not lose himself to an ignited sense of bloodlust and murder innocents. We need to combine his strengths with ours. Our powers combined give us a greater chance of not releasing Alucard." Arthur sat up and stretched. He yawned and blinked his weary red rimmed eyes. "You two, this really might be a trap. What we have on our side now is that we _know_ we're walking into one all thanks to Anderson's information. With that in mind, be prepared for anything. Explosions, mind tricks, and whatever we do, we should not allow ourselves to become a hostage. On that wonderful note, I'm going to find a tavern and drink myself into a stupor."

"Is that the best idea before we go into battle?" Lorelei pushed him. Her brow knit together in concern for her friend. Something was off about him ever since Anderson revealed Oliver's gender. Arthur sheepishly grinned and shrugged. There was that roguish nonchalance again.

"We all have our different ideas of preparation. Some sharpen their swords while mine happen to align more towards the strong, liquid afflictions. Namely, Scotch and Brandy. Wonderful boys, them," Arthur bumped Walter's shoulder with his own. "Alright, champ. You have to come with me. I need a drinking buddy for at least a good hour."

"Sir, is that truly necessary?" Walter frowned, closing his violet eyes in plain reluctance.

"Sure it is! I need you as my temporary protection. You don't have to stay long. Just an hour, my boy! Do as the butler does and peel me off of the floor if need be!" Arthur hooked Walter's arm around his own, practically dragging the unwilling butler out into the well lit hallway. "Lorelei, before you do anything, I need you to tell Alucard what we plan to do. Stay with him until one of us gets back. We shouldn't let our guard down, remember?" Walter faced Lorelei one last parting glance before the two men lumbered out and away from sight. She couldn't help but think of Arthur as the most paradoxical man she had ever met. Be on guard while getting drunk, he says?

"Looks like I'll have to ask for bullets later," Lorelei mumbled to herself, feeling slightly let down. She left Arthur's room and walked over to where Alucard was presumedly staying, her attitude brightening with the thought of spending time with her friend. The vampire hunter glanced at her wristwatch. Ten in the morning. What a time to start drinking. Maybe she could nap for a few hours and then stock up? That would give her enough time before nine in the evening, right? Lorelei reached out to knock on Alucard's entrance, announcing her presence. When no one answered, she tried the door. It opened without resistance.

"Alucard?" She stumbled inside. Despite the morning hour, the olive green drapes were closed and all of the lights had been turned off. It must be extremely tough being a vampire stumbling around everywhere, but then she recalled that their sight was extraordinary. What would it be like to see in the dark? She could understand Alucard's glee under the stars with that perspective.

"What do you need, woman?" Asked the almost grumpy sounding Alucard. Lorelei made sure to close the door and properly latch it behind her. She surmised that Alucard was out of his coffin and in a chair catty-corner to herself from the direction of his question.

"I think you already know. You've heard everything, right?"

"Yes." She could see a dark void inside of the already dark shadows. It seemed to shrug its wide shoulders. She thought he was in his favored sitting position. Legs crossed and hands grasped on top of his lap. "At least, everything after someone left. Who was the man you were conversing with?"

"No one important. Just a priest from the Vatican. He was Arthur's informant." She made sure to keep calm. Lorelei could tell that if the two men, Anderson and Alucard, ever met, they would fight each other to the death. That wouldn't help their cause at all, now would it?

"I see. And so, why are you here? To tell me of how I will not be allowed out?"

"Kind of. I'm your babysitter until Walter and Arthur get back." She put her hands on her hips, attempting to be imposing and knowing that she was severely failing.

"Babysitter?" The void chuckled, teetering on insanity. It clapped its hands as if it were at a most wonderful opera. "Then if you are to babysit me, keep me properly occupied. Converse with me for a while. I have a feeling that I shall be bored for the next couple of days and need something to think upon. To Arthur, I am a drug, but what he seems to forget is that drugs can still be used in small doses. He'll have an itch to scratch at some point. I merely have to wait until the Master calls."

"Alright, Mr. Drug. What do you want to talk about?"

Lorelei did not get to take a nap as she planned. She spent the next two hours telling Alucard her life's story. He did not divulge his past willingly, and so she gave in and told hers to pass the time. Lorelei never thought that the vampire she fought upon their second introduction would turn out to be a confidant. It was strangely relaxing. He still refused to turn on the lights, and so she focused upon that odd void in the corner.

She told him about the one night they first met from her point of view. Alucard's favorite part of the story was when she punched Walter in the face. He then relayed to her that ever since that day, Walter always spoke of her at least twice a week.

Whether it be in his training and he would remark that he had to become stronger to make sure a strip of a girl like her wouldn't be able to punch him again, or just to reminisce about blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair, she had been in Walter's mind for sixteen years. Alucard heavily implied that Walter was obsessed with locating her, but never knew her name to start the search. Lorelei gulped and stared at the place where she thought her hands were curled on her knees. Had Walter truly thought of her in that type of light while she simmered in her misdirected hatred? Was this some warped idea of if the boy likes a girl, he had to pick on her?

"Why are you blushing?" Alucard asked in an amused voice, drawing out the syllables like delectable candies.

"I-I am not blushing. Anyway, I just don't feel right talking about Walter while he isn't here." She crossed her arms in an attempt to seem outraged.

"You did not have such reservations a couple days ago," remarked the smug vampire master from his arm chair.

"That was then and this is now. How about we say that I don't want to murder the man any longer. Satisfied? Let's speak of something else."

"As you wish. We shall leave the tiger alone for now." Alucard shifted in his chair. "Now, how many vampires have you killed? I'm curious about the full extent of your abilities."

Lorelei left Alucard alone in his darkened suite after a fruitful morning of extracting each other's secrets as well as Walter's, feeling more uneasy then than when she originally walked inside. She had heard Walter and Arthur returning around an hour ago with Arthur sufficiently liquored up to his liking (he was signing an Irish tune about taverns and a man named Johnny Tarr.) Lorelei assumed that Arthur should be safely inside of his room, and so, logically, should Walter. Even the odd priest came back. He bustled around in his room, shouting about heathens, and became quiet. Lorelei could differentiate Anderson's wide gait easily, so it had to be him. That and the mention of protestants in the heathen speech. So, everyone was were they needed to be. Good. She made certain that Alucard's door was shut tight behind her before she set off.

Three rooms down was where Walter resided. Her throat became dry and her heart began to race way over the speed limit with each step that brought her closer to the insufferable butler. Coupled with their confession from a few nights prior, learning of Walter's previous affection towards her made her nervous. Did that mean from the moment they reunited, he liked her? Sure, he was suspicious at first. Anyone would be. But— _oh God. I punched the poor fool. I head butted him. And all those times, he was just trying to…_ She lifted her hand to cover her mouth and nose, quite aware that she was severely blushing. Lorelei attempted to discard the twisted emotion of embarrassment, shoving the creature down into the pits of memory. What mattered now was that she realized how she felt. Not hatred, but the flip side of the coin; love.

"Hello? Walter? It's Lorelei." She knocked fervently upon the white door. Were her palms actually sweaty? Where the hell did all of her tough attitude go? Before she received an answer from the other side, a brief flash of their physical interactions from a few nights ago reared its head. Literally. She blinked to clear her blurry vision. _Why am I so flustered now? There's no point. It's just. It's just I want to be with him now. All the time. Knowing that he wanted me like that before me. Jeez._

"Mistress? Ah, yes. Please do come in. What can I assist you with?" Lorelei heard the nonchalant masculine purr and almost turned and dashed off. She had to forcefully remind herself that she was there for bullets and, if all went well, they could chat. With their faces. And lips. She opened the door.

"Walter, I was hoping…" Her turquoise eyes flashed from what she saw before her when she revealed what was behind the door. She shuddered, crept inside, and closed the door behind her. "Hoping that you might have some silver bullets." Lorelei watched Walter wearily, highly aware that she had just willingly locked herself in with the Angel of Death.

"I do believe I have appropriately supplied our stocks with as many bullets as one could possibly desire." Walter was languidly lazing on a recliner. The desk lamp to his left was set to a low flux of light, casting his pale face into an alluring array of shadows. He wore only his dark green undershirt. It was unbuttoned down to his naval and nearly slipping entirely off. His bare, perfect feet rested upon one arm of the chair, while his left hand held up his head. In the other hand was a cigarette slowly releasing a white spiral of smoke between his middle and ring finger.. The butler's hair was free from its low ponytail and clinging to his milky skin in sinuous strands. Once more, his intense gaze was set upon her and only her. Walter was akin to a sleek panther dreamily calculating its prey. Lorelei licked her cracked lips, trying not to break their staring match, but ultimately terribly failing. There was his prominent collarbone, the curve of one pectoral muscle, and the subtle erect nipple underneath problematic fabric that caught her attention. She had to look.

"Could I have a…couple cases? There's a hundred in each, right?" She found that her feet were inching their way closer to the butler. Lorelei was caught in some erotic magnetic pull she was willingly letting herself be cast under. Walter seductively brought the cigarette to his lips and drew in a breath. He let a curl of smoke filter from his mouth and dance around his cheekbones, not once taking his now silver eyes off of her. His movements were measured, refined, but engineered to catch her in his metaphorical web of wires.

"If the Mistress wishes, then her lowly butler will deliver, mustn't he?" He reached over and grabbed a glass from the desk, swirling the dark liquid within, and then letting the drink disappear into his mouth. She watched his adam's apple bob, never thinking that the certain part of the anatomy could be alluring until then. "Now, do not tell me you are here merely for some…bullets?" He quirked an eyebrow, grinning when she stiffened at his suggestions.

"Well, actually," she crossed her legs while standing. How was it that he could make her groin burn with need just by speaking with her? Why was he so endearing even while snuffing out a cigarette into its appropriate ash tray? Was that fair? She was new to any type of romantic relationship and what Walter was doing to her was going right above her head. "What did you think of me when we first met?" She blurted out.

"That you were a little brat who wanted to get herself killed," he narrowed his piercing gaze and smirked, "but you had a certain spark. Did you know when I placed you in that bed, you somehow kicked me in the stomach? Knocked out the cigarette I was smoking and nearly caused a fire. Alucard did not let me hear the end of it."

"Oh," She was around a yard away from him. She caught the whiff of clover and honey haunting the space around them, possessing her like a wild poltergeist.

"I never worried about most little snippets, but you were engagingly different. I told some injured soldiers where to locate you. I actually went out of my way to find them before I completed my mission of eradicating those nasty Nazi vampires. Alucard was sure as Hell glad to remind me of my break of character." A drop of the dark liquid from his glass dribbled down his pointer finger. He put the glass back on the desk and surveyed the drop. He sucked the drop slowly, lifting his silver irises as he did so. A striking invitation."I guess I was infected by you even then." Walter reached his hand out to her. Lorelei groaned and followed. Who was it who said Alucard was the damn drug? Walter carried more qualities of being addictive, and the type that killed. "That's a good girl."

Lorelei straddled Walter, locking her hips into his. He wrapped his arms around her, holding the small of her back with one hand and cupping her bottom with the other. Walter growled, slightly bucking his hips up, grinding his hardened flesh bound by his tight black pants into her heated groin. She gasped and grabbed his solid shoulders. Her heart flew, the pressure within building in intensity. Lorelei attempted to match his movements, riding him through their clothes. She bent down, touching her mouth to the corner of her lips. She tasted the Brandy immediately. Walter was not in the mood for playing, and directed his lips onto hers. Sucking her in. Eating her away. She couldn't help but mewl into his warm kisses, which only encouraged the butler, his fingers twitching with need.

Walter suddenly fully supported Lorelei's bottom, picking her up. She anchored herself onto him, hooking her legs around his waist. He rested his head in between her breasts momentarily, listening to the rapid thumps of her body's inner mechanisms. Without warning, he located the maroon bed to their right and gently let Lorelei fall backwards onto the comforter. She giggled as she bounced on the springs, feeling her ears become red from her giddiness. Walter was above her, absorbing the sight of her beneath him.

"Arthur and Anderson are in their respected suites," he rasped, confirming Lorelei's earlier conclusions. Walter lowered his wet mouth to her already hot ear and flicked his tongue across the lobe. She arched her back from the contact. "These walls are awfully thin. Make sure to keep quiet. We wouldn't want to wake them." He smirked at her when she glared with a childish pout. "Don't worry, poppet. This will be a fun game meant only for us." Walter slid below, letting the tips of his long fingers flutter down the skin he exposed on her sides when he placed her on the bed. Waves of gooseflesh trickled down her legs and arms. Walter chuckled, and unbuckled Lorelei's silver belt. He undid the device easily and curled his fingers around the trouser's elastic lining in mere seconds. Lorelei twitched, both excited and nervous. She never let a man see her under such direct lighting. She wriggled, but soon relented, letting Walter peel the articles of clothing off her bottoms and legs.

"Mistress," Walter tsked, "this simply will not do at all. You're chilled." He brushed his palm across Lorelei's inner thigh. There were the goose pimples again. "Will you let your dutiful butler remedy the situation and thaw your cooled flesh?" Walter stared at her from in between her legs. His hands held both of her legs, the ebony locks of hair caught on her knees. The butler made a perfect seductive picture. She was completely exposed and he was smirking like a sexual demon in triumph. An incubus indeed. The anticipation was painful, and she wanted him to just go for it, but once again, he was waiting for her signal. He was the butler and she was the Mistress. She swallowed twice until she was able to answer his ravenous request.

"Please, melt the ice within." She squirmed, squeezing her eyes shut. What a poet she became under his strict tutoring.

"Keep those eyes open, poppet. I want you to watch everything. I want you to know that I, the Angel of Death, was the one who plunged his tongue into you, eating you whole. You are mine, poppet." She could feel the rumble deep in his chest through her legs, and opened her eyes from the gravelly ferocity directed at her. A tremor begged to be released from those words alone. He voice was almost like penetration itself from how deep it dipped into her. She curled her toes and nodded her head at him.

"I'll watch everything, butler. I promise."

Walter wasted no time. The tip of his auburn tongue slid from his two lips and lowered down to her prostrate, naked flesh. She tingled, knowing that she was engorged and inflamed. Ready for him to take her into himself. He carefully let his hot tongue glide up her clit in one, long stroke. He breathed out, warming her skin. She jumped and melted in the height of pleasure.

"Ah, ah, ah," Walter chided, lifting his face and shaking a finger. "Remember our game, poppet." She scowled and flicked his nose. He blinked, but soon grinned. "This is why I'm falling in love with you." Those words were like a bolt, swift and true to the mark. There was no time to contemplate them any further. He again began his long strokes of the tongue. Slowly. One. Two. Three. She trembled, clamping a hand to her mouth to keep from screaming in joy. One. Two Three. His tongue drifted lower, brushing against her opening and teasing her senses. Tears lined her eyes, and now her hands clutched at Walter's head. The air around them became muggy, swimming in the scent of sex and sweat.

"Walter," Lorelei whispered. The sound of her voice in rapture induced a faster pace. The strokes became rapid, hitting a spot just right and making her twitch from the inflicted pleasure. He grabbing at her clit with his teeth and sucked the throbbing piece of flesh, brushing his incisors at the side and sending a delicious quiver into her gut. Lorelei bucked her hips into his mouth, pleasing for more. Aching for release. Walter, being the loyal butler, inserted a finger inside of her. She gasped, feeling herself tighten around him. Walter chuckled between sucks, letting her loosen until he added another finger into her. Lorelei bit her lip to keep from making any of the noises she so wished to give him.

"That's right. Hold on tight, poppet," Walter panted. He watched her facial expressions change. How the blush on her nose spread to around her neck and shoulders. Lorelei complied and grasped at Walter's hair like a lifeline. The butler set a rhythm. Faster and faster, he pumped into the damp flesh of her opening, bending down once more to apply his brisk licks. One. Two. Three. His fingers were hitting a spot that was sending her into a thrall over and over until the fiery molten liquid bubbling in her groin break from and surged out onto Walter's hand and nose. She twitched from her organism and expected Walter to stop there not that they achieved climax. He only licked clean his fingers and brushed off his nose, waiting for her to settle down and catch her breath. Walter then went back, inertial three fingers this time, and employing all the tricks her could to conjure forth another two orgasms just from his tongue and crafty fingers.

Walter climbed onto the bed and pulled her into his arms, propping them up against the head board and setting her head on his shoulder. She was exhausted, but could not let the butler go unsatisfied. She unzipped his tight black pants and snaked her hand underneath his undergarment. The arm around her back tightened around her as she found what she desired. Walter bit his lip, keeping his groan tight within his throat. Lorelei found the struggle to keep quiet endearing and understood why Walter insisted on playing this little game. Lorelei slid her hand expertly up and down the shaft of his length, remembering that the lack of a mouth meant another tactic. Rubbing her thumb on the tip and arousing the area around its opening, she deftly dragged her hand repeatedly up and down, increasing in her speed. Walter's leg pulled up and he pushed his palm onto his forehead in concentration. She watched the butler grit his teeth until he reached his own climax. He allowed a small whoosh of air to escape his lips. Lorelei cleaned her sticky hand and sighed in contentment.

"I so want to continue, but I have not slept in two days," Lorelei yawned, draping an arm over Walter's stomach. He kissed her head and tugged her closer.

"I have not either. In addition, Arthur wore me to the bone." Walter buried his nose into Lorelei's hair and inhaled, closing his eyes. "He wanted to know why you attempted to enter your room in the morning the day the bomb went off." Walter kissed her temple, cuddling closer. "I told him the truth. That you were too drunk and I allowed you to sleep in my bed. He needn't know of what happened on top of said piece of furniture after you awoke." Walter licked her neck and she jumped.

"When we're finished with this lycanthrope business, I'll let Arthur know," Lorelei assured her butler. She nervously fingered the band on her finger. "I only agreed to his proposal because I thought I would never find someone, and the moment I agreed was when I opened my eyes to you. It figures, right?" She curled up to him, listening to his heart beat.

"I will not lose you, not after all this time." Lorelei dismissed his odd statement. Of course he wouldn't lose her. They just found each other. They lay there, enjoying each other's existence until they both lazily fell into a deep slumber. Lorelei somehow woke after a couple of hours and extracted herself from Walter's strong grip. He groggily asked where she was leaving to and she explained that for now, it was best if she went back to her own room. After all, what was the point of their silent game if they were going to be caught? Walter grinned and let her know of the silver bullets in his suitcase she could take before leaving. She followed his instructions, kissed him on the head, and tiptoed to her room.

It was almost time to meet Anderson.

By nine in the evening they were all assembled. As promised, there were a black and red shiny new rental cars that by all rights should not have been on the market for rent. Anderson called dibs on the black car, and Arthur the red. Hesitantly, Lorelei boarded with Arthur and Walter with Anderson. She pitied the butler the hardship he would face once the two men were forced to start a conversation. Speaking with Arthur should be easy enough. His hangover only lasted a few minutes once he woke up and took a fifteen minute shower. He emerged from his room as new as a child straight from the womb. Maybe he really did mean it when he said that drinking was his way of preparing. If so, she envied the man.

"I wonder how many lycanthropes we are going to face," Lorelei pondered from the passenger seat. She gripped the handles on the metal rim of the vehicle as Arthur took a curve too sharply. Why was she the brunt of Walter's abuse for her driving skills when his own master was worse than she was? But, wasn't it Walter who drove Arthur everywhere? That would explain it true enough.

"Through his previous reports, Anderson estimated that there could be two hundred of the mutts scampering about in their little molehill." Arthur procured a cigar and stuck its end at the corner of his mouth. Lorelei located her lighter on the dashboard, flicked the flint, and lit the cigar for him. He nodded thanks to her and breathed in. "I know it's a lot to handle. Four on two hundred, but we have three vampire hunters and the head of the Hellsing Organization."

"Don't forget, we might be entering into some sort of trap." Lorelei watched the black vehicle in front of them swerve when the two men riding it fell into some sort of heated argument. For a flash, Lorelei could see Walter as the teenager he was when they first met. Then, he was back to his usual self.

"Right. That. This would be the best time to ask a favor of you, Lorelei. I have already been approved by the other two. Now it's up to you." Arthur did not bother to look at her as he kept his attention upon the rugged road.

"What is it?"

"This Oliver character. I wish to speak with her. If we manage to infiltrate their base, then I want her captured alive if possible. She's up to something that exceeds merely bringing the lycanthropes back from the brink of extinction."

"I agree. It would be a waste not to fully understand the extent of her machinations."

They fell into a companionable silence. She watched as clusters of bright green foliage bled into the darkness as they flashed past them. She spied a few well kept castles glimmering with some sort of supernatural light cast from the dying rays of twilight. Lorelei could smell the salt ringing the brisk summer air, even if they were only creating more distance from the sea. She wrapped her coat closer around her body and couldn't help but envision Walter's strong arms wrapping behind her, keeping her close to him.

"Are you scared, Lorelei?" Arthur's sudden question brought a startled _huh_ from her lips. She clicked her teeth together, ashamed that her cozy thoughts had appeared to look like fear on the surface.

"Of course I'm not scared, Arthur. You know I'm more capable than _you_ and that's why you have me as your bodyguard when Walter, Alucard, or your horde of guards aren't available."

"I know. You've got me there, Miss Sock Knitter. You've just been off since the bomb. May I relate something personal to you?" She nodded, and it was surprising he could see her movements in the dark. He flashed on the headlights. They were still right behind Anderson and Walter's vehicle. "I have no doubt that my cousins were the culprits who planted the bomb in your room, but I have reason to believe they had help. I think that they are involved with Oliver."

"I'm not too surprised. I saw Richard say something to Arnold. Maybe Arnold was communicating with the someone who had the bomb."

"Yes. That may have been when the deed was done."

"And yet, why would they ally themselves with lycanthropes?"

"Oliver isn't a lycanthrope. She's human. It would be up my cousin's alley to blindly trust an entity without fully examining the source. That's also why I need Oliver alive. I need to condemn those bastards once and for all. If I'm lucky, then I can at least get the triplets. Richard is another matter." Arthur grumbled some more under his breath. They rode the rest of the trip in contemplation. Trying to unravel the mystery. Before they knew it, the three hours easily dispersed. They hit the town of Athlone's outline by the dark waters of the river Shannon. They finally reached the county of Westmeath, the center and heart of Ireland. They cut through the town, passing by St. Mary's Catholic Church using the M6 motorway. The residents were all asleep in their houses and inns with the lights of the river's docking ports lighting their way. The team exited the main meat of Athlone, finding the smaller of the six townlands on the west bank of the Shannon River. Anderson directed Arthur's path off the road and into a cluster of gloomy hills. They parked behind the base of the five peaked hills, cutting the lights from the headlights.

"Anderson, where is their base?" Arthur sidled up to the large priest. The man straightened his glasses and grinned.

"You see there? Straight off into that den of trees? They form a circle, and right in the middle there, that's where they have their hidden fortress. I surmise there's only one way in, and it should be a good and proper openin' with an alarm n' all."

Lorelei removed her sword from its scabbard. Anderson secured his deadly blades into his palms. Walter prepared his fingers in an array of patterns. Arthur slipped a machine gun from behind his back, leaving the rest of the group to wonder how in the world that man kept such a large item a secret.

Here they were. It was about time to kick some ass.


	9. Part Nine: SeverDivide

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Today has to be set at a rather fast pace. As such, you could prepare a basket of goodies to take along with you on your trip. Would the traditional peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich cut into triangles do the trick, or should you add peeled apples, leaving the skin to mimic that of rabbit ears? Either way, please do be aware to keep hydrated. Slip in a thermos of citrus tea, if you can. See you on the flip side.

Part Nine: Sever/Divide

Lorelei slashed down, instantly spilling a coil of stinking guts and stomach contents from her opponent. The cream and coral pelted lycanthrope yelped with undisguised agony, but still lived. Lorelei tsked and with her other hand, flipped a pistol into her right hand while still keeping the sword embedded in the wolf's stomach to keep him still. His slit, golden eyes widened with comprehension and he began to back away on padded feet. Lorelei did not give him the time he needed for escape and placed a silver bullet right into the creature's skull point blank. Bits of soft hot flesh splattered onto Lorelei's cheek as the lycanthrope twitched, caught in its death throws until he ultimately succumbed to its fate. The beast fell to his knees and crumpled to the floor, dead. Lorelei flicked her sword free from the droplets of blood and gore still clinging to its tip. She flipped her gun behind her shoulder, and without looking, shot the female lycanthrope who took the opportunity to barrel over through the mouth. The creature fell just short of a few centimeters at Lorelei's feet, her jaw blown to pieces of skull and muscle.

"Ahahaha! Good one lass!" Anderson spun around, flinging his blades deep into a lycanthrope with wickedly over sized claws even for his kind, as if claws held any factor in this melee. The priest's blades were not made of silver, and so he chose to slice each creature into bloody chunks to the point where they were no longer able to keep the will to live as meat pushed through a grinder. When Anderson's devastation lagged due to lack of blades, he merely whipped out his bible and flung odd but devastating enchantments at the beasts the like of which Lorelei had never witnessed before. There were body parts and organs flung in a circle all around the priest, who seemed far too proud of the destruction he created. In the back of Lorelei's head, she wondered if she should take up religion just for the ability to fling deadly paper spells at her foes.

Walter was the one who first opened the grass covered opening to the lycanthrope's lair. There was a ladder that descended deep into the belly of the enemy's base. When they followed the cold metal rungs down, Walter placed an intricate webbing of wires to enclose the opening. According to Anderson, most of the lycanthropes were running around outside in their true forms like dogs off their leashes in a dog park. When they came back to rest at their lair, they would come home to a nasty surprise comprising of their imposing deaths. The plan was to then thin the creatures out as much as they could, keeping in mind that some might have stayed behind and would surely dislike their house guests. There would be no reason for the creatures to retreat, being cocky beasts and seeing only four opponents. The Hellsing group plus Anderson should be able to cull them all. Lorelei and Anderson were the relief if there was to be the case of any inside stragglers. The unlikely duo had just killed ten and were working on the eleventh.

"Have we accidentally killed Oliver?" Lorelei wiped her gleaming forehead with the sleeve of her coat. She didn't know how the 'thropes coped with the blazing lights installed at the base of their hallways. Was the only relief to unbearable lighting system those cubby holes along the hall they called places to sleep? More like caves.

"Nah. As I told ye, this Oliver lass is a looker. Great big bottom and curves to make any sinner piss his pants."

"That's right," Lorelei narrowed her eyes. Men. "How do you think Walter and Arthur are fairing?" As if in answer, she heard the thunder of a machine gun and the agonized cries of lycanthropes being cut to ribbons. The lycanthrope hoard outside must have just returned from their moonlit ritual. Lorelei wasn't worried about those two, and if they were truly in trouble, they devised a call for help just in case of an emergency. It was either that or run and call for Plan B. The time for an unleashed Alucard wasn't at hand just yet. Just then, a petite lycanthrope with russet fur howled a feral cry, charging at the priest. Lorelei had to admit that a furious lycanthrope's throat was definitely engineered to tweak instinctual primal fear from prey. Too bad she wasn't prey.

"I'll devour your livers and throw your corpses in the latrine!"

"Now, that's quite a specific request!" Anderson whooped. He easily lifted his leg up and connected with the lycanthrope's face. She was not expecting this type of rebuttal, and flew backwards into the wall, creating a imprint of her body's contact. Lorelei did not have time to watch the battle to its conclusion for there were two more beasts lumbering over to finish her off.

Lorelei took a leaf from Anderson's book and grasped around for her throwing knives. She selected exactly five from the belts criss crossing her torso and flung the blades with all of her might at the short and tall targets. One missed its mark, but the other four connected with a thunk into the loping lycanthrope's jugulars. Blood spurt onto the pads of their paws as they tried to comprehend what just happened to them. Thank goodness lycanthropes seemed to have similar anatomy to a human. Again, Lorelei leveled her pistol and fired once. Twice. Another two down. Anderson kicked his own newly dead female 'thrope. He beheaded her and began playing with her eyelids with the time of his boot. Open and closed. Open and closed.

"Eh, didn't eat enough. Just lookin' at em' makes my stomach growl." He rubbed his stomach, and toss if make its point as he played with the lycanthrope, his hungry organ let a ripping growl slice through the air.

"Anderson, gross! How does fighting make you hungry?" Lorelei feigned gagging and bent to pluck out the blades from her victims, wiping them clean on her already coated pants and resheathing them.

"You'll just have to believe me, lass. If there were a stack of steaming mashed potatoes aided with a frothy glass of O'Hara's Stout, I'd eat with me one hand and slay with the other!" He chuckled, and then violently kicked the head away from its body like a football.

"Anderson, I can't stand you," Lorelei huffed. She was peeved not only from the question if Walter and Arthur were fairing well, but also because Anderson's hunger had become infectious. Mashed potatoes actually _did_ sound good. While she was contemplating the foods she and Walter would share together once they completed this mission, she felt an eerie prickle of fear walk down her skin. She shuddered, twisting around to see if someone was approaching. No one was there. Just an empty hallway that lacked the blazing white lights in abundance where she stood and led to absolute darkness. Probably to a common room or where the technology was stored. Yes, thinking about the common room was what raised the red flag. No one else had come to defeat them in five minutes whereas they were attacked almost immediately when they initially broke through the first pathway.

"Hey, Anderson. Something's wrong. I know most of the lycanthropes were outside, but we haven't even defeated twenty. Should we investigate or go help them up front?" Lorelei scratched her face, feeling itchy from the agitation that they may actually be stuck in a trap.

"Well, you see, your fiancé wanted us to use caution. That's where we have our, eh, differences." Anderson withdrew more sharpened blades and rolled his shoulders. "I'm going in. You can either come with me, or stay here. You're a tough lass. I'm not worried about ye tail." The priest secured his glasses upon the bridge of his nose, and the lenses flashed light blue. Caught in the rush of enthusiasm Anderson gave off in palpable tidal waves, she gripped her own pistol tighter.

"Alright. Count me in, Anderson. I trust Walter and Arthur to clean up their mess. I need to find and secure Oliver for the Hellsing Organization. Can't do too much here just standing around." She smirked, feeling the heat of the hunt drill through the marrow of her bones. It was almost like the days before Sir Arthur Hellsing ever invited her over for..his proposition. When all she cared for was the increasing of her skills and the growing marks of the kills she made. She licked her lips, ready to go.

"Aha! Well then! Let's not dawdle like a couple of some damn twats! Lass, follow me." Anderson belted down the hallway, giving no regard in attempts at surprising his enemy. He wanted to come out barreling, scaring the living daylights from the ones he would soon slay. This man was way too much like Alucard.

Lorelei tailed the over zealous priest, taking the sharp turns and sudden stops he made in stride. More rooms containing beds and everyday items passed by until a change in equipment confirmed her suspicions. Now there was an abundance of technology. Charts, lumbering machines, and scientific items such as vials, microscopes, and slides occupied most of the tables and furniture. A large screen covered the entirety of a wall with arrows and marks scribbled in red up on the pixels indicating a large discovery that was now long turned off. Something was eerie about descending from a well lived in area to the stoic gears of science that gave way so abruptly. What in the world were the lycanthropes attempting to achieve? Yes, they were trying to revive their species whilst ending the threat humans supplied, but this leader was up to something more. Something that had nothing to do with helping thee lycanthropes at all. The whole place stank of it. Oliver was more of a threat than what Anderson and even Arthur thought she was.

"Anderson. Hey, Anderson! Where did you get to?" Lorelei had been too intent upon inspecting where she was plunging herself into that Anderson must have taken a turn she did not see. She shook her head from side to side at the three way junction she was stuck inside. Each direction was dark with no sign of a retreating priest's back. She bit her lip and strained her ears. There was nothing. Not even the slap of feet against the cold tiles. Irritated, Lorelei took a wild guess. The right was the Holy way of God, correct? Anderson was so crazy about that God of his that he would have definitely gone right. Yes. Determined, Lorelei turned. She took no more than five steps into her choice when a pair of hands shot out from a shadowed room to her left. Lorelei yelped and fell backwards. She cursed, finding out that the hallway had been coated with something adhesive. She normally would never lose balance from an enemy's administrations otherwise.

"Yes, there you are. Just like in the vision," a deep, highly seductive feminine voice mused. Lorelei rolled over in mid air from those offensive arms and jumped to her feet. She whipped out a blade in her free hand, searching the perimeter of the tiny room mainly used for what she assumed to be sample prep. There was a pair of feet that led to Anderson prone form laying on the floor. Lorelei growled. The priest was still alive, but something was done to him. Poison? Injured? Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was an expression of peace upon the man's face that she had never witnessed before. That was odd in itself.

"Where are you? What have you done to Anderson?" Lorelei growled. She could still not find the one who caused this melee of chaos. Her red hair had fallen into her face and she angrily brushed the strands off.

"Do not worry. Your Anderson is fine. He shall be asleep for the rest of this adventure, I fear. One of my people shall take him far away, for I later need him. I need him to live for my revenge."

"Those are some big words for someone who is hiding. Come to the light so that I may see your face and plunge a blade in."

"My, my. Is that supposed to be endearing?" Despite the clear ridicule in the woman's tone, she truly did step into the dim light. She appeared as if she really was a shadow herself. With the aid of the light, Lorelei immediately knew who this was from the scrawling descriptions Anderson provided. She was face to face with the elusive Alpha, Oliver.

"It worked, didn't it? Now that I have you where I want you, _Oliver_ , I believe it is time to take you to Sir Arthur Hellsing for questioning." Lorelei readied a special blade coated with a sleeping elixir she kept specifically for purposes such as these.

Oliver was smaller than Lorelei. She wore no makeup, but in any case, she did not require any. The condescending quirk to her naked lips deepened the luminescent hue of aquamarine eyes piercing through the gloom. Her skin was as dark as a weeping willow's bark, and her nose was delicately long and pointed at its end to indicate an Indian heritage. Her hair was sandy blonde and reached down to her hips in an unbound frenzy. Although she did not have a large chest, her small frame accentuated her womanly curves. Oliver wore a black turtle neck sweater paired with a gray and black plaid skirt laying level to her kneecaps. She didn't wear shoes. The whole ensemble worked perfectly with her. This woman was truly a beauty, not to mention the low melodic wave of her voice chilled Lorelei's bones. Oliver had to be either around Lorelei's own age or a little younger. How did she find herself in such a seat of position. And _Alpha_ , above the lycanthropes?

"I would love to meet your Arthur, but not yet. Not until I have followed this through. I am the secret agent of the Major's, aren't I? He loves his plots thick and convoluted." Lorelei had no time to ponder what in the world this mad woman was talking about. A small hiss behind her was all Lorelei's received as a warning, but it was too late when she turned. Something had hit her square in the chest, acting immediately to remove the control of her motor skills. A needle from a blow dart she assumed. Who else was there? Lorelei gasped, struggling against the chemical changes in her own body. "I have need of you, dear. You are the key to starting and then ending this war."

Lorelei collapsed to her knees, shaking in violate vibrations up and down her spine. She held back the tears of frustration threatening to explode from her face. This _was_ the trap. Never did Lorelei imagine that she was the target of Oliver's web of chaos. Then again, she was prime hostage material being Arthur's fiancée. It didn't much matter now, did it? In fear, she pushed her body to respond to her commands. No such luck. Lorelei was only able to keep her tongue inside of her mouth when her skull smashed against the floor after her body completely gave out. At least there would be no tongue biting. After a mere few more seconds, she blacked out completely.

The vampire hunter woke up in a copse of trees. She was tied to those trees, to be more specific. She wriggled around, trying to obtain a better idea of what she was dealing with. Five yards away lay the town of Athlone. It was still night, but the type of night that belied the impending morning. The stars were halfway across the sky, and the night's distinct aroma was turning sweet upon her nose. Dew. How much time had passed? Lorelei spotted a figure standing next to her at her tree. It was Oliver.

"Oh, you're up already?" The woman batted her eyelashes. Maybe she thought that move would work on her like everyone else, but not Lorelei.

"Damn straight I am." Lorelei glanced down at her person. Of course, she was stripped of all of her weapons. "If you don't let me go, Oliver, you'll be inviting someone to your party who will definitely crash it."

"Dear, if you are speaking about Alucard, then he is the guest of honor." The woman smirked at Lorelei's bewildered expression. The vampire hunter though that she was doing pretty well with her poker face and was angered that this woman broke apart those hours of practice with Walter. "I hope with all of my heart that Arthur releases that beast."

"Why are you doing this?"

"You're about to die soon. And since you'll be the only person on this planet who I shall tell, then I suppose I cannot fully give up this opportunity. Fine." Oliver sidled over to where Lorelei was bound. The woman placed two surprisingly warm fingers on Lorelei's brow. "You see, I have a special power. I have the ability to see the past and the future. Although, the future is never a fixed pattern, with the help of the past, I am usually able to decipher the correct future's choice from many. Usually being the key term, mind you." The woman chuckled. "Here, I'll let you see what I mean. Took a look, will you, dear?"

Lorelei's sight was taken from her. Wiped clean up and away. She panicked, faced with the dull and empty void of blindness until color began to fold in upon the edges. The colors of peach, brown, and gray swirled, becoming tangible at last. Figures arose along with structures. Lorelei could see again, but she instinctively understood that what she was seeing was a part of what Oliver was showing her. A vision of the past, she assumed.

There was Oliver, or at least the younger version of the woman. Oliver was most likely eighteen to twenty years of age in this vision. There was the faintest hue of youth and innocence beaming from her every pore. She was smiling, showing off all of her pearly white teeth. And she was staring adoringly up at the man her complete opposite. He was a good head taller, had extremely large shoulders, long auburn hair tied at his nape, and the square jaw of an American football player. He was a rugged handsome, but nothing like the type of man Lorelei would have gone for; tall, thin, and well muscled. This man also exchanged a lover's stare with crystal green eyes blazing out from snowflake white skin at Oliver. It was obvious that these two were a romantic couple.

Oliver held her hands above her rounded belly while the man cupped her cheek with his large, clawed palm. It was fascinating that he didn't crush her like a dog would with a flower. He was amazingly gentle as they clasped hands and walked away from Lorelei's allotted sight. The vision stuttered, and then continued to follow the couple. As they walked, Oliver's stomach grew and grew. Each step was a progression in her pregnancy until she appeared in a bed with her man at her side. Oliver held two bundles in her arms. Twins. From inside the wriggling clothe were two pairs of ice blue eyes and the creamy skin of chocolate milk. The children were beautiful. Dazzling.

The large man nuzzled his other half as they cooed at their sweet children. Again, the scene melted into another, creating a framed story taking Lorelei forcibly to the next stage of this family's life. The children grew from babies to toddlers, taking their first steps. The proud parents watched their offspring toddle over and giggle at the family pet, which was surprisingly a cat. In this half reality, the soft hues of pinks and blues permeated the vision's background. In a sense, these colors were a safe, protective haven around the family. That was until cracks began to form around the outside of the family's bubble like those of an stricken egg's. Another crack and then another permeated the shell, red and bleeding. The man, a look of stricken panic, stained his face. It was then that Oliver deemed to narrate her life. The woman's voice pounded at the back of Lorelei's skull, jarring what had been until then, a silent experience.

"I met Donell when I was a child and he ten years my senior. He finally saw me as a woman when I was seventeen and he twenty-seven. I birthed our children when I was eighteen-years-old." The cracking scene seemed at odds with what Oliver was explaining. The horror plain on the parent's faces not syncing with the sweet voice blooming from Oliver's mind. "He was the Alpha of the greatest of lycanthrope packs, his father only passing a few years before we had our own children. Despite his young age, Donell commanded respect from his pack like no other Alpha ever did in their history. Not even his father. I was the daughter of a merchant who dealt with the lycanthropes directly. I never liked the odd creatures, but that didn't matter with Donell. Hell, he hated humans, but there I was. Having his children." The ground underneath Lorelei trembled. She flung out her arms for balance, but fell, tumbling closer to the scene of chaos unfolding before her.

"I didn't care if he killed humans. If he killed his own kind. If he was a creature from the lower rings of Hell. He was mine and I was his. Did it truly matter what others made of it? Aha! Apparently so. They came when I was twenty. Get that. We were allotted only three years of bliss. Such a damned short time, right?" The shadows of two men appeared from the corner of the egg's sphere, shattering the casings completely. The sharp pieces impaled themselves around Donell and his children, leaving Oliver in shock. She ran to hide. The two shadowed figures were too familiar to ignore. Lorelei felt sick to her stomach, recognizing Walter and Alucard as they commenced in slaughtering not only Donell, but others who had came into the memory from no where. They were all disposed of. Sliced and ripped apart. Shot through. Destroyed. Lorelei could not find where the children went, but assumed that they did not make it through the bloodshed whether from the direct doings of Walter and Alucard or not. The figures retreated, leaving Oliver to come out from behind a blurry structure to face her mate's death.

"I went mad. Donell was dead. The twins, gone forever. My life had been wiped away so easily." Oliver's chuckle helped ring true her claims of insanity. The scene followed as Oliver picked herself up and walked a vast forest, then a road and thereafter, bustling cities. Trying to find a place to stay. Trying to cope with her life ending. "I traveled for so long. My hatred building. Dissecting the ones who took my family from me. My resolution blooming with each step. It wasn't long until I found the person who shared the same interests as myself. To end Alucard, and in a sense, end the Hellsings forever. I never got his name. I don't care to have it. I knew him only as the Major."

The vision's Oliver found herself in a room filled with scientific devices much like the ones Lorelei saw in the lycanthrope's nest. There was a flash of lenses behind the machinery. Lorelei's mouth went dry as she spotted another man in the shadows. She could not fully make out what he looked like save for the glowing of his spectacles and how short he came to Oliver's height. The man moved from his hiding space, only letting his white gloved hand show through the murk.

"You see the future, do you not, _fraulein_?" His voice was high pitched and irritating. Like the squealing of swine. Lorelei ground her teeth. So this man was the true enemy? She would have to make sure and commit this to memory because she _was_ going to get out of here. Oliver was foolish to reveal all of her cards. Lorelei desperately hoped that she was right. That she would have the time and the freedom to tell Walter and Arthur.

"Yes. I do. Or, I thought I could. When my family perished despite my predictions of a healthy future, I lost faith in myself." Oliver's voice came from the apparition. It was weak and broken, rasping like creaky gears. She was bundled in a frayed coat, although her beauty had not diminished in her weak health.

"My _fraulein_ , I truly regret that you were unaware of that most vial threat, Alucard. And as such lost your precious family. He is a wild card, as one would say. If you do not calculate him in your plans, even if they are future plans, he is always able to dash your hopes against a wall like the brains of a babe." The high pitched voice laughed and continued. "What Millennium plans to do is rid the world of Alucard. To die the best of deaths in the purge of the master vampire and those who ally with him. And yes, in the midst of our rampage, there shall be the bloodiest of wars to greet mankind itself. I must confess that I want to make certain a few of my own darling plans absolute fruition before we take more definite steps in his eradication. That is where you come into play, _fraulein_."

"M-me?" Oliver's ice blue eyes widened and she took a step back, gulping. She repositioned her makeshift coat, shivering in the cold. Her blue eyes were bulbous.

"Yes, yes. I want you to look into the future. Tell me what you can. Explain to me if what I hope to build can be managed so that I may confidently move forwards. I do have a cat that can spy, his skills mean nothing if I am not certain of an outcome." The white gloved hand moved up and down in a frenzy.

"I…but you said that Alucard—"

" _Fraulein_ , were you not listening?" He asked jovially. "If you are unaware of the vampire, then everything becomes caputz! _Now_ you know of him. _Now_ you can plan around him. My spy, Zorin, has similar abilities and has confirmed this theory, more or less. Please, will you not tell us of the future?"

"I will…do anything to dispose of Alucard and those he loves. The butler. His master. Europe. The world." The woman growled after only a small reluctance.

"Good! Well then, shall I settle you with a warm blanket and glass of coacoa, miss…oh, please do excuse me. What was your name again?" The woman stepped towards the glowing pair of glasses, illuminated in the darkness. Her expression was grimly set. A deadly beauty, powerful and ready to shed blood.

"My name is Integra Oliver Donell."

…

Lorelei fell from the vision, smashing right back into the present with a painful pop. She sucked in crushing breathes of fresh, night air. Alright. So she had to remember that Oliver, no, Integra was not the main enemy. She was still just another flunky for a man named the Major. This all smelled of something familiar. Something that had started long ago from childhood. She couldn't quite catch the threads of facts flung at her, clumsy at tying them together. Not while she was still in danger of the woman Integra.

"If…"Lorelei coughed and glared at the woman who lazily leaned against the tree with a triumphant smirk. "If you are so _crushed_ about your family's death, why in the Hell would you kill off the lycanthropes in London? Why are you raising such a farce?"

"Because, Miss Richford, I needed a situation large enough to gain the attentions of the Hellsing Organization. Do you think the Queen would send her dogs for just any run of the mill vampire and his ghouls?" The beautiful woman threw back her head and laughed. "I care not for the lycanthropes. When Donell and my children died, they did nothing to take revenge upon those who took them from me. Nothing at all. They were like puppies with tails between their legs. Useless creatures! I knew that I could use such spineless gits to my advantage. Hmn, I am prepared to kill them all to end the life of one man. To realize the Major's plans, even if I do not live long enough to see it through with my own eyes."

"What the Hell do you mean?" Lorelei snapped. This Integra was insane. Plain and simple as that. She was willing to kill off her husband's people and anyone else to get what she wanted. Not to mention the humans that she killed to get their attention and more to come if Arthur still hadn't found the antidote to whatever those river corpses exposed to many drinking sources. There was no remorse in those ice blue eyes. Sharp and deadly.

For the first time, Lorelei thought of Walter, Arthur, and Alucard. She even gave a shred of worry for Anderson. What was happening right now? Were they still fighting? Had Arthur given the signal for Alucard to come out from hiding? She wanted so badly to tell Arthur not to do it. Just do not do it. It was what this mad woman wanted for what ends, Lorelei could not figure out. And Walter. Oh God. What did this woman want from her butler? The butler who decimated Integra's life. Lorelei cursed herself for getting caught. If only she had thought more on the possibility she was the one Integra was after. If only. But for now, she settled on finding a way out of here and telling Walter of this new information. Even if was upon her dying breath.

"We are nearly to the tipping point. I can smell blood coming closer. Soon, the battle will come here, and then Alucard shall release his deadliest form." Integra scooped her luscious hair from her shoulders and straightened her her black turtleneck top. "I do so wish to be here when the symphony concludes with its crescendo, but I am not to be a key player until a while yet. Do you want to know what will happen? What I have seen? Dear, I think you should just so you can feel the pain I have before you perish."

"No! Get away from me. Don't you touch me with those hands!" Lorelei screeched and bucked around in her bindings, but Integra gave her no heed. Again, the woman bent down to rest her fingers upon her brow. The nails were painted a creamy peach, and a black ring clung to its middle digit. Lorelei was once again cast into a vision, but this time, it wasn't a clouded memory from the past. This was the future. And it was the future from the point of view of…Walter.

… _ **The Uncertain Future...**_

Walter was surprised when, as if called by an insistent owner, the thrall of lycanthropes throwing themselves into the battle, heeled and pulled back. There was no benefit in retreating. If they had pushed harder, then they might have broken through and killed the butler and his master. Walter wiped his brow, watching the forms distancing themselves out of the hideout and into the beck and call of the forest. Arthur, who had sustained an angry wound on his chest caused by a lycanthrope's persistent swipes, growled in frustration. They climbed out of the holding, following the beasts up until the starting point of the forest.

"Shall we pursue them, sir?" Walter asked. He was also marked with bites and scratches. The pain was a distant pulse, however. He was more concerned about losing the opportunity to destroy the lycanthropes once and for all. He also wanted to be certain of Lorelei's safety. It was awfully quiet behind them, deep inside of the lycanthrope lair. Arthur took the time to throw away his machine gun, it's rounds completely used up. There was a good thirty or fifty more lycanthropes that had escaped into the forest. The likelihood of them scouting and taking them out was low. Their only choice to kill all targets was to call Alucard, which was exactly what Arthur had been wanting to avoid. The beasts's retreat was unexpected.

"Dammit. Those damn creatures. I hope that Anderson and Lorelei found Oliver because when I radio Alucard, we would want to be far away from here." Arthur fumbled into his torn pockets. He located a cigar, lit it, and pulled deeply at the item. He blew out a plume of ivory smoke, and then focused on finding his radio. It wasn't too hard finding the item. The radio was already beeping with an incoming message. Alarmed, Arthur pressed the button and let the person on the other line speak.

"Arthur?Arthur! Dammit you protestant asshole, answer me you sunnova…aye!? There you are!" Definitely Anderson.

"Anderson? What the Hell is the matter?" Arthur barked into the radio. His face was pale, as if he already knew something was completely off. Walter sidled next to his master, feeding off of the fear pulsating in waves from Arthur's shaking muscles. Indeed, something was completely wrong. Lorelei. She was in danger. He knew it. Walter bit his thumb, waiting for Anderson's reply.

"We killed the 'thropes on the inside until none came at us. We decided to move on in until someone poked me with a needle n' I went out cold. The heathenous asswipes. I'll show 'em." Anderson cursed in a fluent string of unintelligible words until the line went quiet. The priest began again, unaware of the two men glaring daggers at the radio. "When I woke, I was back n' my room at the hotel a bloomin' three hours away. How in the Hell? Grah! It dunnea matter. What ye need to know is that there was a note left next to me bed sayin' _the lycanthropes will soon attack the town of Athlone. No one will be sparred. All shall die_. Arthur, I say you better send your damned plan B whatever that may be!"

"And what of Lorelei!" Walter pulled the radio away from Arthur's fingers and growled into the radio. He bared his teeth at the invisible priest on the other line. The butler's heart was thumping far too fast. Tonight was going wrong too fast. Was this the trap?

"I know nothin' of the lass, but knowing how wild she was to kill all the 'thropes, she'd want you to dispose of 'em all at any means possible!"

Walter fumed and was about to tell Anderson that he didn't know Lorelei as well as he thought he did when Arthur retrieved the radio. Walter held onto his wires, needing to feel in control when it was the last shade of emotion he felt then and there.

"Thank you, Anderson. We have it from here. You may return to the orphanage you govern in Italy. The Pope will understand. I'll make sure of it."

"No, no, no! I'll see this to the end, damn ya!"

"It shall already be finished by the time you even get into a car. Again, thank you. Live well, Anderson." Arthur changed the radio to another station.

"Sir, are you going to call Alucard with the possibility that Lorelei may be in danger? Are you truly going to let him release into that form?" Walter almost cried. He smeared the blood away from his face, outraged as Arthur ignored his servant's pleas.

"Alucard?" Arthur's stoic face remained cold. He held the device up to his lips. Trying to make certain that each word would be perfectly heard.

"Ah, hello, Master. Have you finally come to your senses?" Came the overly pleased baritone from the other side.

"Alucard. You must destroy the lycanthrope threat. No matter what. I need you to search and destroy." Arthur puffed at his cigar, the mirror image of a desperate man, falling back into a drug induced high.

"Aaah, now that is the master I serve! Yes, yes indeed! I shall do as you say. Search and DESTROY! Consider your wishes fulfilled!" The reply was joyous at the opportunity to finally be freed to avenge the deaths at London, and not only that, be himself once more in the heat of battle. The ground trembled, and from a few yards away, Walter saw a terrible vision. Without the butler being told of these plans, Arthur had set Alucard next to the battle for just this purpose. The butler reeled on his master.

"Sir, what of Lorelei? How could you?"

"There are thousands of lives at stake. _Thousands!_ " Tears creased Arthur's eyes, and he threw the cigar to the ground, stomping on it to make the flames flicker and die. "I can't weigh one life over that many more, even if she is my fiancée. She's tough. She's young. I know that she can take care of herself. Even more, I know that you can locate her and take her away while Alucard does his work." Arthur weakly smiled. Growing older as they spoke. The weight of lives crumbling his composure.

"You know that as a Hellsing butler, I shall complete any task given to me with the utmost care. I shall find Lorelei and keep her safe during Alucard's rampage." Arthur brightened, relieved, until Walter added, "You better hope for your life that she remains alive by the end of this mess." Walter threw off the rags of his dress coat and ran into the forest, leaving Arthur to gape at his retreating form.

Walter flung his wires into the trees, tightening them like ropes and swinging over from side to side. If Anderson had been taken out of the lycanthrope complex and if the lycanthropes held no interest in returning to their home, then he bet that Lorelei was outside either fighting the creatures or held captive. It was a long shot. She still could be inside of the complex. But something was tugging at him. Pushing him in this direction. Was it the deepening sense of dread, the dark cloud that Alucard was exuding driving him in this direction?

Walter had only ever seen the form Alucard wore as Dracula only once. It was a truly horrifying trick. In his youth he had one day wanted to defeat him, head to head, and to come out on top. With that form, Walter had also had the fleeting desire to squash Alucard so that no mortal men could ever be afflicted with the need to overcome the beast again. To kill others, to drop morals, to betray brethren in the name of crowning themselves as the ones who defeated the immortal Dracula. Walter had given into complacently instead of acting on that dream, opting to follow his master's (his savior's) orders instead of taking the chance when given to him twenty years ago. When the Major had reached out his hand and asked for the butler to join his faction against humanity.

Walter shook his head. Why dredge up the murky past? What use was that old, tarnished dream when compared to the bright future he could share with the woman he so dearly loved? He always heard that the pride of aging into an old man was the dream of most Englishmen. Walter could live with losing his body to death without a fight if he could spend his twilight years side by side with Lorelei. He _could_ do that and he _would._ He just had to find her. To schlepp off this overwhelming sense of terror mounting in altitude by the second. The feathers of dead souls pouring from Alucard's awakening began to creep around Walter no matter how fast he ran and swung.

"Damnit," Walter cursed under his breath. He could feel the slices and other injuries on his body now. They were throbbing with the pain of his movements. Each step and each breath was like a saw serrating his skin. Lorelei was out there. He had to stay strong until he could take her away. Keep her safe. His monocle fell, and he heard the crunch of glass as he accidentally trod over the item. It didn't matter. Those were replaceable. The glass crunched more as the creatures bleeding from Alucard followed behind. Dead souls come back to haunt the living. An unnatural mess of things.

The pale pinks of the morning sky were just about to banish the night. Soon, oranges and yellows would graze the morning hues until the sun poked out and into the day. The town of Athlone innocently sat along the river, unaware of the threat looming from behind the frantic butler. He heaved, knowing that the soldiers and horses and hounds behind him were no longer just behind, but at his sides. Already, the howls of the lycanthropes were to be heard as they yelped their last. In front of him was a circle of trees. The monstrous creatures were fighting with Alucard, now fully adorned in his full Dracula gear. Dark armor and clothed in an unfamiliar face. Black and grim, he calmly dispatched the beasts with his sword. The hound of Baskerville was at his side, ripping out the lycanthropes' throats in the mere pleasure of the sweet feast of blood. The ghoulish forms of ghosts and soldiers convened in the middle, taking over the bodies of the frenzied beasts.

Walter was too late, but there! He saw Lorelei strung up on a tree. He headed towards her.

"No, Walter! Stay back! Don't look, for God's sake. Leave!" She screamed. Walter could only see her head. The long strawberry locks of hair. Her delicate, turquoise eyes. The slight smattering of freckles across her nose. And the bonds tying her to the tree behind her. She shook her head, a heated red blaze on her face telling him that she was truly distressed. "Please. I've got this handled. No. No. No. Don't come here!"

"Like Hell I won't, Lorelei!" He growled between his teeth. He pushed past the screaming mass of lycanthropes and their attackers. He barely dodged a spear and a hand ripe with claws in his attempt to get to his Mistress. Walter used his wires to rip through a foolish lycanthrope who thought he could easily take down the haunted butler. The wolf chose wrong, and was reduced to minced meat. The huddle of bodies slowly dissipated, moving away from the clearing. Walter could finally see why Lorelei did not want him to come any close. "No," he gasped. His heart faltered. Sweat coated his back as his whole body became numb. "No, Poppet. Lorelei." He choked, stumbling over to her.

"Why don't you…ever listen to me…" Lorelei sagged against the spear impaling her straight through the chest. It was shoved between her rib cage, right under her heart. There was no saving her. This tree would be her deathbed.

"I'm not the best listener, Poppet. You know that," Walter groaned. He cupped her face with his shaking hands. She smiled dimly, blood trickling from her teeth in rivulets.

"Walter. I have to tell you something. Quickly. Before," she coughed and more blood coated her mouth. Walter hushed her.

"You are a virgin, yes? We've only ever…" He touched his forehead to hers. They were both so cold for completely different reasons. "But you are, aren't you?" She could only faintly nod. Walter risked turning around, picking out Alucard from the disappearing thrall. "ALUCARD! FIX YOUR MESS AND SAVE HER! TURN HER, YOU BLOODY FOOL! SHE CAN BE TURNED INTO A VAMPIRE!"

Alucard was affixed in a wave of blood lust. He could not hear his friend's desperate request, only the fading of his enemy's lives as he crushed them one by one. It was as Arthur feared. The master vampire was lost to them until every last lycanthrope had been decimated, even if he destroyed innocents along his bloody path. Walter cried out twice more. Pleading with the vampire to turn his beloved. To save her life. Walter, so usually steeped in a foreboding and seductive calm, was reduced to tears as he fell to his knees, throwing his wires at the vampire to gain his attention. Alucard was now too far away in many ways other than location. He was going to leave Lorelei for dead.

"Walter, get up. Look at me," Lorelei rasped. Blood was soaking through her bindings, and Walter blindly cut the skillfully tightened ropes until they snapped away. Lorelei was free to hold him with shaking fingers. He touched her, holding her body up, knowing that the spear should not be removed. Walter bit his lip, becoming cold.

"Please. Do not die. I love you," he whimpered. He kissed away Lorelei's tears. Kissed her cheeks and her nose. Claimed her mouth. She pulled slightly away and strained to tell him something. The rush in his ears, the blood swirling in his body, betrayed him. He couldn't hear her as she told him something about a Major and a woman. That he shouldn't do something that will change the course of something else. History? The future? He couldn't be as cruel as to force her to repeat her words. She was almost gone and he couldn't bare to be that callous.

"I'm sorry I realized how much I loved you far too late. Please forgive me." Lorelei nuzzled Walter's neck and he couldn't contain his sob. "Thank you for being my one and only Angel of Death, Walter C. Dornez."

There were no more words.

Walter did not have to pull back to know that Lorelei was dead.

He stood there. The dead body of the woman he cherished in his grasp. The warmth of her body fading and cooling to that of a stone. Walter brushed her hair, combing his dulled fingers into the mass of wavy locks. Her eyes had closed, and she seemed at peace. Where did she go? Was he able to leave with her? This earth had nothing else good in it for him to continue his own existence. He took out his handkerchief and dabbed away the blood from her face and gently pulled out the spear. She fell with her dead weight right into his arms. He flung the offending spear to the grassy ground, barely giving the tree with its bloody scar on its trunk the time of day. He held the body of Lorelei Richford as he did when she had drunk far too much wine and he took her to his room. This time, she did not bury her face into his neck. She did not giggle and tell him that she liked him. He would not be straining not to touch her, to feel her against his skin, to take her into his bed. She was dead. Lorelei had left him once more. This time, there was no coming back.

The butler trudged slowly back to his master. They were to meet at a secluded area meant for the expulsion of Plan B. It was three miles away. Walter's mind was blank as he walked those few hours. He examined Lorelei's face. How she swayed in his arms. How the blood from his wounds mixed with hers. He grimaced, trying to recall her last frantic words towards him. Major. Future. It didn't make sense, although he was still glad that he didn't force her to repeat anything. He was able to hear those words of love even though they felt more like words of death.

With each step, Walter's composure solidified. He began the aching process of bricking everything inside. His face was void. Complacent. Empty. Walter needed to make sure that no one would notice that deep, deep within was a plot. That there was a brew that was about to come to a simmer. It was so simple, that he wanted to laugh like the maniac he was starting to become. As soon as he could, Walter would find the Major. Once he did, the butler would sign away his soul, his very life to the man.  
Walter would betray the Hellsing family and the vampire Alucard as they betrayed him.

He would wipe their filthy existence from the soil of the earth and save others from feeling the pain he felt right then and there. Once and for all. For her.


	10. Part Ten: Turncoat

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and sexual relations. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Refreshments? I…See you on the flip side.

Part Ten: Turncoat

Time passed as if Walter lived in a stagnant puddle of muddied water.

Arthur was devastated upon the revelation of Lorelei's death. Walter brought the woman's lifeless form over to his master and gently placed her body before the man who ultimately decided upon this woman's fate. The usually level headed head of the Hellsing Organization collapsed and shoved his face into his twitching hands yelling in a shrill voice that this was not how it was meant to be! How he had failed her! His butler would have been touched at his master's rare moment of weakness if it weren't for the madness absorbing the molecules within his body.

"We shall need to inform her mother of her passing, Sir," Walter placed his hand upon his master's quivering shoulder. Arthur started and stared up at the butler, the leader's eyes and facial structure gaunt and abandoned. There was no laughter. No playful banter left within the man's essence, and so Arthur was amazed at how calm his butler was portraying himself. He knew that he cared for Lorelei more than what he let his physical reactions condemn him for. So why wasn't he bawling like Arthur?

Now was not the time to question Walter's sincerity. What Arthur was unaware of was the fast acting wall that was being built brick by heated brick between him and his life long accomplice. That even then, Walter had shelved his true self within, determined never to let his weakness break the surface and maim him. If he fell to such an act, which there would be no doubt he would, then how would he see to the end of Alucard?

"Yes. Yes, you're right as always, Walter," Arthur shakily agreed. He brushed away the tangle of limp hair obstructing the dead woman's placid face. There were still speckles of blood around the corners of her mouth that Walter had failed to mop clean. The aforementioned butler held tense muscles, smelling imagined smoke, fire, and brimstone from Hell. He did not want that man touching her. No one impure should be allowed to even see her. But Walter only placed his hands behind his back, clenching his fists, and watched the scene of Arthur and the woman he killed unfold.

Not soon enough, or too soon, came a rustling of broken branches and leaves. Twigs snapped under feet and the weight of a heavy body brushing through them. Dawn had already come, and yet the promise of orange sunshine casting life upon the land below had been stricken from the earthly agenda. Clouds had formed and covered the atmosphere. They were like large, gray maggots, swarming in an unknown feast of feted flesh above. Who better to emerge from his cover than Alucard.

Walter's chest tightened. Every fiber in his being urged him take the vampire out and tingled from the inactivity. The beast was weak and vulnerable after he had sated his devastating blood lust. The butler's mouth watered with the possibly of the sweet kill, so close, his fingers grasped the air behind him in spidery anticipation. But Alucard, despite his depraved appearance, still had the dangerous ability to crush the butler after the gluttony he attended to. He was always such an unknown factor. No. Walter needed to wait until he found the Major, no matter how long the act took him. He knew that the crazy man was still alive somewhere. After the war he heard rumors that the Vatican gave him aid but never truly believed the whispers until now. He would find the Major to crush this beast who stood in front of the two human men with the gall to act appalled.

"What happened to her? What happened to Lorelei?" The vampire staggered over to Lorelei's corpse. She was stiff now. Her gray skin had lost its softness, and some of the forest life had attempted to crawl onto her prone form. Arthur was battling the creatures away, flicking off flies and ants.

"It would seem as if your black powers have run rampant and ended her life." Walter narrowed his violet eyes, gripping his hands while making sure they didn't see how he trembled. He kept his voice level. His head high and condescending. The butler's hair was completely out of it bindings, and the sour wind played with each individual strand. Some caught on his lips as he sneered at the nonplused vampire.

"Me? I was the one? Not the lycanthropes…" Alucard stared hollowly at his friend. Moisture collected at the rims of his red eyes. He did not have his sunglasses as he was thrown into his basest form. His lithe, long figure was wrapped in his odd array of a tight black bodysuit kept in place by multiple belts. The vampire breathed heavily, almost as if he had forgotten that he no longer needed to fill his lungs with the tart air preceding death. "But I was sure. I made sure that the souls within me only slaughtered the lycanthropes. Not even a citizen was impaled by my absorbed enemies." He reached out, scooting over on his knees, to try and caress the woman's cheek.

"DO NOT _TOUCH_ HER!" Walter exploded. His fingers had a mind of their own as they threw out blue wires, connecting with the vampire's white throat. Arthur fell backwards on his rump. Alucard stayed as still as a doe caught in a vehicle's headlights. He hollowly glared at Walter, almost as if he wished for his death then and there. Walter increased the weight upon the wires, cutting a long slice across Alucard's throat. Black blood dripped, running down the vampire's neck and to his collar bone. A flashback of the blood spraying from Lorelei's mouth was enough for Walter to reel in his weapons in repulsion. His stomach was upset just at the thought, the mere rememberance of the stink of rot already setting. He was quaking with rage, but managed to smooth back his hair. "Alucard, you must learn to control yourself. When I begged for you to change her as she stood dying impaled by one of your very own weapons, you were as a deaf and blind man. You never answered, Alucard. Never even glanced back to check upon your carnage. She could still be alive if it weren't for you."

"I…I…"Alucard dropped his head. His long hair touched the forest floor, and his shoulders shuddered from his silent, tearless sobs.

"No." Arthur regained his composure and stood up, brushing away the grass from the seat of his trousers. He straightened his collar and licked his lips. Arthur could no longer take in the sight of the woman who just a few days ago, was telling him that she was safer as a Hellsing than being alone. "It wasn't Alucard's decision, old friend. The fault lies entirely with me. I failed her when I should have protected her with all of my entity. Until my dying day, I shall never forgive my sin that occurred here." He bit his tongue, keeping back a choking cry. "Walter. Were you two…"

"It does not matter any longer, sir," Walter slipped his mask back upon his face. There would be no more outbursts. Not for them. "I shall take care of the necessities. We should take Alucard back to his casket and return to the manor as soon as possible to arrange L…her funeral. I shall let you inform the Queen of our success, and I in turn will contact Jane Richford."

"Yes. That…that sounds about right. Alucard. Get up. I trust you disposed of this Oliver while in your deranged state? I don't see why I ever thought we could keep her alive." Arthur did not clarify who the _she_ was for certain. A draft of coppery air swirled around the men.

"I…if I could kill a friend," he grinned sadly, "then I most certainly, I _must_ have killed Oliver." Walter wasn't sure if that was a confirmation or not, but he didn't care. Let the whole business be done with. All else other than the absence of his love was trivial. He'll wash his hands from the rest.

"Alucard, I need you to be completely truthful. If Oliver slipped away, then everything was for naught. Did you or did you not kill her?" Arthur snapped. The vampire's eyes bugged from his head, twitching from trying to pluck a specific memory from a writhing mass of puckered flesh and spilled innards. Was there a woman? There were plenty. All of them were wolves. But, but there was a flash of brown skin and yellow hair. A mocking laugh. And then came the torrents of sticky, warm blood.

"Yes. I killed her."

"At least this curtain can now close. Come, you two." Arthur turned, not waiting for his servants to respond as he crossed over to the pathway which would take them to his rental cars. Alucard slumped over, covering his head with his hands as he curled into a fetal position. He would have been pitiful. She would have comforted the split man. A monster who could still cry from the loss of a respected companion. But Walter's capacity for multiple emotions had been cleaved into only two; anger and the passion for revenge. The butler gingerly scooped Lorelei's body from the cold grass sprinkled with dew, making an effort to keep his head up. To stare ahead and follow the golden haired man who condemned the woman in his arms. And not to feel the icy flesh cradled against his own.

When they returned to the Hellsing manor, Walter immediately contacted Lorelei's mother. The mother's reaction was to be expected. She hailed a taxi cab straight over in less then a half hour when the journey would have taken a good one and a half. Walter brewed the sweetest of earl grey leaves, focusing on the shine of the silver kettle and how its reflection grew upon the sterling silver tray. He banished the nagging memory of Lorelei's pink lips sipping the very tea from the cup he was filling for her mother or the way her whole expression bloomed prettily when she came to the conclusion that he was the boy she saw almost two decades ago. She was so adorable, and although at first he held his suspicions on what she desired from his master, the fondness he held for her was still beating soundly in his heart.

"Here is your tea, Sir. Madam." Walter bowed and took his place next to his master's side. Nothing but a nameless shadow.

The butler observed as Jane Richford figuratively wrung Arthur's neck for the loss of her child. She brandished her fists and used every possible curse word in existence upon the Hellsing name. When Walter placed a white tea cup on its saucer in front of her, she snatched the item up, still full of balmy liquid, and chucked the entire cup at Arthur's head. He ducked, throwing his arms up, just in time for the cup to shatter against the glass panels of Arthur's study behind him. Arthur sheepishly scratched his head, but wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Oh God," Jane sniffed. She scrubbed her baby blue handkerchief under her eyes, cleaning away the smeared makeup she had applied that morning. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have thrown that. You see, although I never told her, I knew of Lorelei's activities. She went out every night, you see, and I thought _My daughter is either a lady of the night, or she's out there doing something good_." The woman got caught in a swell of distress and paused in her story. Then, as if she needed to expel her thoughts before they became stale and faded, she continued. "She possessed guns with silver bullets. Some shots were bathed in holy water as well. She labeled the bottles, thee dear. I would be a moronic mother indeed if I didn't put two and two together. Once more, her father's body…it was a closed casket ceremony, she never saw the damage, but no human could have made those marks on my husband. He was drained dry of blood and he had changed into, into _something_ that was sure. I couldn't let my baby see. I knew she was out fighting against the things who killed my poor husband."

Walter had crossed over to where the broken shards of the ceramic cup lay. He peeled the pieces from the carpet and chucked them into a trash bin. The butler then refilled another tea cup and situated it in front of Jane. She nodded a shaky thank you and sipped from the brew. The woman sighed, missing the hurt flickering on Walter's face. There was a side to Lorelei that he had yet to learn. All those opportunities of finding her likes and dislikes, what her childhood was like, what she wanted from growing old, they had been taken away. Once more, the poor, small woman in front of him had lost her child. And she had lost her child on his watch.

"I must confess, when you came calling for her, I was already aware of the Hellsing reputation. I knew of your afflictions with the undead, if you will. I thought that if I could secure Lorelei in a marriage with one of the most prominent men in hunting creatures from the dark, then perhaps she would do better off than on the meager allowance I provided her. Once more, she'd have a team to keep her safe and none of those hit men fogging her neck." The woman's hand shook, and the tea sloshed over the rim. "Tell me, Sir Arthur Hellsing, what really happened to my Lorelei? She did not die in a car accident as you just told me, did she?" Her shinning liquid irises were sharp as they joined the man who had signed a contract to protect her daughter with his life.

"I…" Arthur was caught off guard. He was turning green at the prospect of revealing his sin. He folded his fingers together on top of the desk's smooth surface. He sucked in a breath, letting the temporary moment of panic exit him. "I failed her in a split second of judgement. She is gone solely through my own misgivings." As Arthur explained the circumstances surrounding the loss of Lorelei, Walter grudgingly relented to Arthur's bravery. It took some balls to tell the mother of your fiancée that you fucked up.

Jane Richford excepted that her daughter had passed away for the greater good just like her father. That was the only way the grieving mother could deal with her abrupt loss. The two adults parted in a relative truce knowing that their paths would most likely never cross again. And so a simple funeral came and went. It was a hushed ceremony that Arthur paid completely in advance. He also insisted upon imparting Jane with a allowance despite her refusals. It was the only thing, the only action that he could think of to make things somewhat right as they never would be again.

Before the funeral, Walter chanced sneaking into the chambers that had once been Lorelei's. Arthur had reconstructed the destroyed structure, but there had still been no progress in pinning the blame of the explosion upon his cousins without Oliver's testimony. Walter knew he wouldn't find Lorelei there in her room. It was just an empty living quarters. It was just an empty world. But he couldn't help but conjure all the times, all those short times, they spent together. How cruel that wicked fate would forcibly take her from him just as they became so close. His heart wept, and he performed a rapid survey of the enclosed area to confirm that no one was there hidden away in some crevice. He could be safe in his loneliness here, and break free from the self imposed mask he composed specifically for others. The butler let his guard fall in tatters.

As he sat on the edge of the plush comforter on the bed, he managed to glimpse that the closet was opened a smidgen. Arthur had kept most of Lorelei's clothes until her mother wished to regain the articles on a later date or if the woman desired for the articles to be donated. It wasn't much, Lorelei had intended to attend a shopping trip with Arthur to purchase another wardrobe, but never had the chance. Ah, there was the trench coat that she was wearing when she…Walter shook his head. He heaved himself up to inspect the coat, catching a glimpse of his black button down shirt, tie, pants, and shoes. He had styled his hair with its usual ponytail, afraid that the chosen tresses of Lorelei would break him down. He had bought another silver monocle, feeling somewhat normal with the glassware secured to the bridge of his nose.

There was the black leather trench coat up close now. It still held the aroma of her french vanilla scented water she dabbed her throat with every morning. On the cuff of the right sleeve were the marks created by the claws of a vampire. The buttons upon the chest were torn from from their threads. His face crumpled, and he wrenched the coat from its hanger, holding it tightly to his chest, clutching the cold leather coat tight. He needed to leave and attend the funeral outside. He had to put the coat down. Walter shook his head. Ten minutes. Just ten more minutes to mourn. Ten minutes to be powerless.

The coat crumpled at his administrations. Gasping, Walter held it back at arms length. Was there a piece of paper inside? He checked all of the pockets, coming out empty handed. He ran his hands along the fabric, determined to find whatever was the source of the noise. There. Right above the left breast. Where the heart was. He peered at the inside of the coat and saw a fine line sewn shut. He wriggled the thread away from its trappings and revealed a hidden pocket. Inside was a note. Walter shut his eyes tight, breathing in the scent of oiled wood slowly. The manor around him ghosted away, leaving him to ponder his findings in a complete, hazy white light. The butler opened the wrinkled rectangle of parchment with his black gloved thumbs and pointer fingers. What he saw was her neat and orderly handwriting, that was for sure. So immaculate, that she could have used a typewriter's font. He gulped down a lump resting in his throat and read.

 _Before a big hunt, I always write a note. I'm not a fool. This line of work doesn't guarantee that I'll live to see the end of the job. So with each outing, I write a letter—and this is how I always begin. I chose to do what I do. Me and no one else. I want to rid the world of the undead. The supernatural that can hurt the ones I love. So if you are reading this, then I'm probably dead. If it gives you peace, then know that I am happy. I died becoming stronger. I died at the peak of my strength. And I probably died with a bang! I have always been comfortable with my choices, so live on knowing that I don't regret a thing._

 _Please, tell my mother sorry. That she was the best mother a girl like me could ask for. I do feel some pain at the thought she wont get those grandchildren!_

 _Arthur and Alucard, thank you for the chance to transform into someone I never thought I could be—a part of a team and a beloved friend._

 _Walter, I'm writing this while watching you sleep. Did you know that you can be adorable, no matter how much you try to hide it from me? I love how tough you are. I love your loyalty. But most of all, I love that we found each other. Thank you for your heart. Please, live understanding that although I didn't know it until recently, you had mine at "I could smash your brains on the flagstones!" Truly, you did._

 _Love, Lorelei_

Walter gripped the page, holding the item to his nose so firmly that the veins in his wrist popped up to his skin. A droplet of water cascaded onto the glass of his spectacle. Carefully, he folded the paper in neat lines and inserted the memento into his vest pocket, selfishly keeping it to himself. He replaced the coat on the hanger and retreated to attend the funeral, leaving time to restructure the grief on his red face from devastation to a companionable friend to Arthur.

Arthur and Mrs. Richford along with many family and friends were seated at the quick wake. Even Anderson briefly appeared to add a red rose across the woman's shiny black casket. He was uncharacteristically grim faced, his lips drawn into a tight line, and even wore the funeral version of his usual white-blue clothes. He deftly crossed himself and then the priest vanished like he never was present to begin with. Alucard did not attend for the sun was hot and beating against the sweaty necks of many visitors, some of which included Lorelei's friends from _Defang_. Even if he could have attended, the shame would've prevented the vampire master, which suited the butler fine. Walter did not care to see that sorry vampire's face. As the Angel of Death watched the closed casket being carried to the hearse and taken away from the Hellsing estate, he let the words written from Lorelei herself boil within him in a rubicund turbulence. Those well meant sentences offered the opposite affect she intended when she wrote them. They only inflamed his determination, solidifying his future.

Excruciating years plodded by.

Arthur barely let Alucard out of the manor, only using his tool for the most dangerous of missions. All being said, those missions were slowing down. There were less outbursts from the supernatural community, and it was odd how calm the waters had settled into. The head of the Hellsing Organization took this opportunity to try and repent his horrid sin. The man abstained from his usual Don Juan activities. There were less and less prostitutes haunting the hallways until he no longer called upon their soft bodies for company at night. Walter wondered if it was from the man's scarred pride, for when the butler went to his own chambers at night, he would always pass his master's appointed room. Arthur's soft sobs from recurring nightmares were becoming a constant midnight tradition. The man never let his night terrors show during the day, putting on the sly and devious face of a puppet master to his comrades and enemies. Only Walter knew of the panic attacks, and was the only one who slipped his master camomile tea to calm the man's sleepless nights.

Arthur filled the void of calling for flesh by spending more of his hours with his friends Sir Hugh Irons and the youth Sir Shelby M. Penwood. They would meet in the library, drinking and discussing the modern militia. Penwood had a love of helicopters of which Arthur purchased with more up to date technology every half year, to the younger man's chagrin. As for Sir Hugh Irons, that man always felt Arthur's forehead for a fever, wondering how in the world the most notorious playboy in England would somehow become a model, celibate friends did not note the dark shadows under Arthur's cheek bones and how he had seemed to age from the growing amount of worry wrinkles at his watery eyes. Walter served the men their whiskey and cognac, taking careful stock of what was left of the man who saved him as a child so long ago.

As for Alucard, he always sat in his chair in the basement engaged in nothing but his dark musings. In order to keep up the charade of compassion, Walter visited the vampire multiple times, attempting to comfort him. He did well playing the part of a friend. They spoke of fond times desposing of the Nazi vampires and their ghoulish offspring. How they killed off those lycanthropes whose leader had been taking and raping human children from all ages. Donnel was his name, yes? One by one, they listed their best jobs, and Alucard seemed to lighten only a shade. Walter, in a fit of longing for the goods times lost, even crafted a new gun for the vampire. These were the moments that the vampire grew the most attentive in their conversations. They never once spoke of Lorelei, and it was for the best. Walter had yet to locate the fat man, that Major, and any mention of her from Alucard's white as stars lips would result in wires shoved down the vampire's stomach.

Walter himself was a ghost. Yes, he carried around flesh that would clean the dirtied dishes and terminate the piles of trash breeding from Arthur's study, but his soul was always floating above. Peering lazily over as his body aged. How he was becoming, ever so slightly, weaker. Walter was becoming desperate, knowing that the more time he spent finding the Major without success, the more his skin shrunk. The more his flexibility dulled. His eyesight dimmed . He could not allow Alucard to walk this earth. Removing the vampire would be done by him and him alone, even if it took his dying breath.

All hope for that defining moment was almost lost entirely.

Arthur, in a fit of regret and self loathing, exploded one day in the chilly winter of 1968.

"I rely too much on Alucard. I knew it. I knew it then! He is an intoxicating drug, and though I was sure I would not partake in his power, I was too easily swayed. I cannot use him any longer or the mark on my soul will only blot me off the face of the earth." Arthur slashed out, spilling his bloody mary onto the hardwood floor section of his study. At least that would be easy to clean.

"Master, what has happened to make you suddenly think this way?" Walter feigned calm. Inside, he was seething. _Put him away? No, you shan't. Not until I have my chance._

"Are you messing with me, Walter? What has happened indeed you ask. Every night I have a dream. A dream where I said something differently. Where I waited until you found her and then gave the signal. Where I forced her to stay safely behind. There are so many different variations. So many goddamned ways! I've had seven fucking years to create each one where she would live. In the end, I could not let go of my drug. I panicked. I thought that Alucard needed to leave immediately. I had to save that town, Walter. And so matter what, Lorelei died." Arthur moaned and ruffled his golden hair lined with streaks of gray. Walter was abashed. Arthur never once spoke of that night after he gave the details of Lorelei's death to her mother. Hearing him talk of the event and sharing the same fantasies of Lorelei's living from his master opened the well placed scab even now still tender. With that, a rush of sympathy filled Walter's cold bones. He still would never forgive the man, but they could at least share their pain.

"There is nothing we can do now, sir. All we can do is learn from the past and make what we desire from the future a reality." Walter placed a steady hand upon his master's vest. Arthur shook the hand roughly away, determined.

"Yes, there is something I can do! I must take the temptation completely away! Alucard must be locked and secured. Sapped of his strength. Bound in chains. He should never let the light of the moon grace his face again," Arthur barked. The man was raving, clearly haunted.

"But sir, what if—"

"To Hell with what ifs, Walter. I'll make certain there will never be a what if again. Bring Alucard to me. He must be made aware of my decision!"

Walter reluctantly did as he was told. He retrieved the vampire from his basement, the prison made of his own doing. The vampire did not ask what was to be done with him or the usual questions one would speak of when a gaunt butler called upon them. Alucard's well known bite had been taken out of him for the past seven years. Walter guided the vampire master through well known hallways, still in his black garb he had yet to transform out from, to their master's door. Walter missed the sharp red overcoat and orange sunglasses. The apparel used to bring so much color to the otherwise drab manor.

"I have some idea of what is to become of me, Walter. I can feel my fate rolling off of you." They faced the door, both not once risking a look at each other's face.

"Are you going to fight it, old friend?" Walter pondered. He hoped so. Killing Alucard as a shell would be worthless and unpredictable. If he tried, there'd be no telling what the corned bat would do. The only way to take the vampire of this world was by being face to face with his released form. A mortal destroying an immortal.

"No. Not this time, Walter," Alucard shrugged. His face was soft. Passive. Uncharacteristic from the long time the butler knew this man. "This is what I deserve. For now, I must repent until I awake once more. I shall focus my energy and hone it. I will try to learn more of compassion. To break the spell of the scent of blood. When I am reborn, I wish you to be there and tell me if I am better for my purgatory."

"Alucard, you once mocked me for becoming too dull. I now reserve the right to reverse said insult and claim that you are boring the fuck out of me." Walter smirked, a hint of his old Angel of Death peeking behind his monocle. Alucard paused, turned to his friend, and chuckled. The sound was hoarse and odd coming from the husk of a vampire, but it was something nice to hear after years of solemnity.

"Touché, my dear friend. Until next time." Alucard opened the door and closed it behind him with a resounding snap. Walter did not see Alucard again. When the butler asked his master what became of the vampire master, Arthur explained the process of binding Alucard, the bat beast. He bled the man dry like a pig, wrapping his arms in special spellbound bindings. He painted a pentangle to contain the ravenous husk of a vampire from escaping his cell. Although Walter would have rather Alucard stay out and in his sights, the butler kept his tongue. All he could do was wheedle out where the vampire was hidden from Arthur to develop plots for later purposes.

Another nine years diluted away. Arthur became more gray, opting to wear prescription glasses and Walter gained more wrinkles around his mouth. Although there were less missions, to branch out on his own the butler still managed to gain information on the Major while he disposed of the monsters Arthur sent him to find. The fever beneath his breast still beat strong. If he ever felt as though he would lose his resolve, all he needed was to close his eyes and relive the moment Lorelei was impaled on the tree, helpless and without aid from the murderer Alucard. Just close his lashes to feel her lips on his once more. Her soft hands upon his back and the taste of vanilla clinging to his shirt. Her dimpled smile. The freckles and determination. How he had loved her even when he was a wild teenager bent on bathing in the enemy's blood. She had been his life.

And again, if he let Alucard live, only more people would die. More would want to surpass his immortality and would kill to make their dreams come true. If Walter could slay, _when_ he slew Alucard, there would be an end to that. It would have to. He just had to find the Major. Curse his childish loyalty! He should have agreed to the man's offer when it was placed upon the table at their initial meeting.

Arthur surprised his butler when he brought home a woman one day. She was about the age Lorelei would have been if she had lived. Maybe younger. Her complexion was dark and sensuous. Her foreign accent was alluring, and she wore her body like a glove. Each curve that hugged her sides showed the swell of her breasts and sway of her hips, using her height to her full advantage. She was gorgeous, made even more so from th lack of cosmetics. Ice blue eyes and wheat yellow hair tumbling to her bottom completed the oddity of her mixed heritage. Arthur was fascinated by her. He said that they met while she was reading in a literature shop. They felt such a magnetic attraction, Arthur played the oldest card in the flirtation book of men, and asked her out for coffee.

"Her name is Integra Dollen. My god, Walter. I shouldn't be allowed to fall in love with such a wonderful woman. She makes me laugh, and I feel as though the weight I've carried has dropped away in those moments. Tell me honestly, Walter, is this alright? Should I pursue her?"

"I say that if you do not follow your heart, you shall die without an heir. Do you truly want Richard to take over your estate now that your cousins have mysteriously perished? What about your plan to get back at him, hmn?" Walter flipped out a pocket watch, a master at this game. Yes, he still loved and respected Arthur, but he did so while knowing that at some point, be it now or in the future, he would need to cut those ties. Their shared moments were all laced with a bittersweet taste.

"You do have a way with words, Walter. Fine! Aha! Splendid, I shall invite her over to chat with me again. She is such a sweet woman. Very warm and bright."

Walter watched, again a shadow, as Arthur brought the woman Integra into his household. They spent a half year courting. Arthur used flowers, films, gifts, and the like to win his lady love over. Walter thought Arthur a bit of a dolt as he could see straight away that Integra was falling hard for Arthur's smiles and boyish laughter. He observed the woman, set in a stoic posture, suddenly fling a hand up to her delicate lips to cover her astonished giggles. This Integra did not want to be so besotted with his master, and the act alone was frightening her. He wondered if she had meant to feel adoration for Arthur. If she had meant to sleep with him every night, banishing the habitual terrors from Arthur's bed. The screams that plagued Walter's walls from his master so far away in the other rooms diminished until they were replaced with well earned snores. How odd. Walter would turn in his warm bed, feeling the distinct cold spot at his side. A ghost in itself.

The day Arthur burst into his butler's chambers at two in the morning to exclaim that Integra was carrying his child was the day Walter found the note. Arthur jostled the butler awake, shoving a cigar into the corner of Walter's mouth and lighting it before Walter could even open his violet eyes properly.

"By jove, what ever is the matter, sir?" Walter yelped, blinking away the leftover dream of a woman's hands stroking his face, the scent of vanilla hovering above his nose. The butler took the cigar from his mouth and readjusted his periwinkle silk night clothing.

"We're pregnant! Well, not you and me. Sorry old champ." Arthur patted Walter's face happily. "No! Integra and I are going to have a child!" Arthur's signature mad gaze with shinning eyes was burning into Walter. How he had missed that ferocity. The butler smirked.

"It's about time, Arthur. With how you two have been going about. Goodness, do you forget that I live here as well?"

"Walter, I'm glad you enjoy the show. I hope you've enjoyed it so much that you'd be the godparent of our child, won't you?" Walter, shocked, choked on the rough smoke of the cigar. He hit his chest until his lungs cleared. The butler waved Arthur away, unable to take his hyper twittering right in front of his face much longer.

"Of course I would. Yes." _What am I doing? Can I truly accept such responsibility when I know of the outcome?_ Arthur whooped and fist pumped the air.

"Good! Good! Oh, Walter! I'm to be a father, and you the loyal godfather! Can you imagine?"

"Oh sir, I can imagine it alright," Walter cooed dryly. Arthur lightly punched Walter on the arm, and they healthily bickered as if they had met for their first time. One a preteen and the other ripe in his twenties.

The two men discussed welcoming a child into the Hellsing Manor. What would the gender be? Arthur insisted that even if his child was a female, he would train her to be his perfect replacement as the heir to the Hellsing Organization. He then vividly painted an image of his unborn child. He wanted it to have the same silky skin, ice blue eyes, and soft long hair as its mother, but he severely desired the child to have his disposition. At least, all the good parts of it. Strong willed, an expert at decisions during tense moments, and to be a leader. Walter agreed. A child of such a union would be worthy of the strong Hellsing name if it was passed all these attributes and more. Basking in the new father's joy, the butler was almost serene. A cotton-like fog pressed around him, and he soon realized that he was genuinely smiling.

Arthur danced out of the butler's chambers in a shimmering mess, leaving Walter to nurse his fragile moment of tenderness. He smoked the rest of his cigar and bent to choke the last of the embers into the glass ash tray when he saw a distinct loopy writing underneath the cigar's wrappings. He was getting tired, the last vestiges of slumber still clinging to his eyes even with Arthur's extra joy to act as a jolt of makeshift caffeine. Was it worth the trouble of dissecting the burnt item? The butler sighed and bent over his night stand to painstakingly peel back the paper with the tips of his fingernails. He chewed the inside of his lip as he squinted at the minuscule wording.

 _I heard you wanted to find me. Well, here I am. Meet me at these coordinates._ _45.4236° N, 75.7009° W. -M_

Walter sucked in a breath through his teeth, inhaling the vestiges of the cigar smoke. Ah, yes. It would figure that at his lowest point, a point where he was tediously releasing the vamped anger towards Alucard and Arthur, that the Major would contact him now. He slapped down the piece of paper, memorizing the coordinates easily enough, and burnt the evidence with a match. The butler unbuttoned his silk pajamas one motion at a time, revealing that he was still quite in top shape. Tight corded muscles, whip-like arms, and a thin torso. He quickly shrugged into his old black uniform, knowing that there would be precious time afforded to him. Arthur and his lady love would wake later, around eleven in the morning. It was two thirty right now, and he had done most of the prep work for breakfast, so preparing said feast should not take more than one hour. Two hours to and from London. That would leave a good hour. An hour to decide the rest of his life with a man akin to the devil.

The butler grimaced, glancing quickly over to the desk where he stored the departing letter of Lorelei. He had the words committed to memory as if they were meant to touch his face with gentle fingers. He closed his eyes. Opened them. The decision was made the moment she died. And so the butler exited his chambers.

…

"Your plans are completely convoluted, devoted entirely upon a game of chance. There are far too many unreliable factors that could swiftly dash everything to the rubble. If you haven't noticed yet, I am aging. Despite your consistent plumpness and your companions' longevity, I am only mortal. By the time your hopes are realized, I may as well be batting at Alucard with my cane."

Walter stood in his long, black and belted coat. His gloved fists were clenched as he studied the sneering man sitting before him. The Major had not changed. He was still rounded from his unordinary intake of steak, and still wearing those bulbous glasses covering mad golden eyes. He had done away with the ridiculous Nazi propaganda, but he was still acting the main fool. A greasy, maniac of a man. Beside him was the ever silent and silver haired Captain, a hat laying comfortably atop his head, and white hair covering one eye. He was the only man to stop Walter's wires in mid air, and the only man who thought a olive green coat as droll as that one would suit him. Walter sniffed.

When he came to the appointed area and found the typical abandoned warehouse that these folk tended to inhabit a block to the east, he began to wonder if this was the wisest of ideas. The best way to dispose of Alucard. Then, the Major caught in the flickering light of the fasting man, explained his long and tiring plot. There were so many elements. So many ways that the Major's machinations could go completely wrong. How did this maniac expect for those inane plots to come to fruition? Perhaps it was the correct choice to deny the Major's offers when he was a child.

"Ah, yes, yes. I thought I you be worried as such. All I can do as of now is to most assure you that I have a temporary ally who belies herself with a premonition affliction. Our ally has repeatedly proven herself through multiple prophesied outcomes. In fact, our friend was the one who truly aided in our endeavors to begin in earnest." The Major crossed his legs and steepled his gloved fingers together. His large glasses glowed from his position on the elegant chair as he smirked down at the butler. Did he ever wash his greasy, rat-like hair? The musty scent of decay clambered around them, disgustingly cloying. Dust motes flitted around the Captain's face, and the wolf man watched with a half-hearted bored, red gaze.

"You know I am a practical man. I won't believe you simply because you've asked me to." Walter put his hands on his narrow hips. He had already set a few wires around the radius of his body in case of any sudden attacks. So far, these two were no fun. He thought that there would be at least one scuffle to dole out who was the top man in this deal.

"You butlers are such a stuffy type. I suppose your stick in the mud type attitude doesn't matter. Our friend has gladly provided a list of situations that shall occur within the next few months. Mind you, the future is still shaky. Nothing is one hundred percent certain, but you shall see that you will soon change your mind on the matter." The Major motioned to his left where the man next to him promptly procured a slip of paper from his breast Captain relinquished the list to the butler. They glared at each other as they each held one side of the wrinkled list until the Captain flicked his end away. Walter huffed and then inspected the overly handled list.

In the same script as the writing found on the inside of the cigar wrappings was a concise list of events that had yet to occur seeing as they all were dated for the next month. Walter could only surmise that the cigar artisan and this ally were one in the same.

 _The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg will adopt the summertime._

 _The United States of America will experiment with their nuclear missiles at the Nevada Test Site._

 _Siegfried Buback and his confident driver shall be shot by two Red Army Faction members at a red light._

 _"Annie Hall" by Woody Allen shall receive an award for being the best picture of 1978._

 _T_ _he Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure shall be signed_

Walter crumpled the predictions in his shaking palm. These events felt too accurate. Almost as if someone from the future were plucking the information in a listed format to present to his hungry eyes. A persistent chill formed at the base of his neck. He squared his shoulders and indicated to the Major that he had finished reading the offering.

"As for your other concerns. That's right, _age_. We, meaning my loyal Doctor if you remember him, can rectify that problem for one night only. The process shall be quick and efficient. Maybe too quick. There will only be one shot, one solid moment of time, that you may accomplish all of you needs. That is, if you do not soil your chance on stage. This opportunity will be steeped in, how did you call it, _convolution devoted entirely upon a game of chance_ , but it will be the best chance you shall ever get never mind if you tried on your own."

The man was correct. What the Major was proposing would utterly annihilate Alucard as a threat. If Walter were to somehow gain back the ability to be at his peak while the vampire was so low, no matter how small a window it would be, then the butler was overly willing to take that chance. With these predictions and the Major's own confirmation that events had already began to roll with the aide of his mystical informant, then he would have to say yes. He needed to say yes.

"What say you, Walter C. Dornez? Shall you join our most spectacular cause?"

"No. Let us make one thing utterly clear, _Major_. I am not joining your war hungry agenda bent on the deaths of as many innocent citizens as it possible could glut itself upon. I shall die a turncoat and a sinner, but I shall not die with their blood on my palms. The burden will be yours and yours alone." Walter tensed. He saw the wave of strawberry hairs glimmering before him, and he set his jaw. "I agree only to have the death of Alucard be secured by my very hands. To wipe the world clean of monsters like him and you. If there is going to be some sort of a grand play with London set as a main character whether I like it or not, I better be someone worthy of applause."

"How gallant of you. How self sacrificing you are, you splendid martyr, you!" The Major cawed, clapping his meaty hands and disturbing the dust around him. "Well, whether you align with our methods or not, consider yourself an integral piece to the chess board. The **check** if you will to our check mate. Now, I know that you are strapped for time. I'll keep this brief. You will receive orders from a few of our moles. Stick to the instructions word for word as they have been viewed and played through my premonition inclined informant. You'll have your moment yet, Angel of Death."

"I bloody well should," the butler growled. As it was, he did return to the manor in time. Neither Arthur or Integra suspected him of his nightly dealings, although Walter felt the woman's ice blue eyes burning his neck.

Within the next eight months, Walter kept his secret betrayal hidden within a gutted mental well so deep, he sometimes fooled himself as well as the others around him. Also within those months, Arthur's child was born and her mother was taken away in the laborious battle to create life. The death of the child's mother was nullified by her birth, and Arthur could do nothing but numbly hold the baby close to his bosom as he prepared another funeral for the woman who was going to be his wife. In honor of the child's mother, Walter nudged his master to name her Integra. Arthur closed his purple and red rimmed eyes, the wrinkles around his mouth falling ever lower. Over the last month, Hellsing had grown a thick beard he claimed Integra loved to run her hand through during their intimacies. Arthur brushed a lock of the hair he had wanted his child to gain from the baby's face and sobbed, nodding his head in agreement.

"She shall be Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing," Arthur hiccuped. The moisture collected in in new beard. The baby flung her pudgy fingers at her father, grasping at his ruffled clothing and eventually tugging so hard that her baby invasions finally tore the man away from his grief. He hiccuped and intently stared at his offspring in her white onesie.

"I see that you predicted the attributes of your child accordingly, sir. She is as stubborn as you and a lovely a vision as her mother. Integra is well suited to be a Hellsing." Walter patted Arthur's shoulder as the latter man slowly grinned at his prodigy. The butler held a proffered finger to the baby, overtaken by something deep within he could not name. She giggled and snatched the appendage, not once letting go until she fell into a well deserved sleep. Walter's heart flipped, and he remembered to stuff the memory of betrayal even deeper into his belly. Not yet. Not yet. For now, enjoy this child. Raise her like a second father. Protect her as much as you can, even in the end.

The next twenty-two years were sluggish and yet as slippery as scooping water from a pond. Walter saw the young Miss grow from a toddling tumble of chubby cheeks and forearms to a thinning strap of a little girl. He was personally in charge of instructing her on how to use weapons to protect herself. By the time she reached the age of eight, she could fence some of the best master's in the fencing world itself into a tizzy. She was also able to shoot stationary targets through their bullseyes, but dummies that were set in a rapid motion. The young Integra absorbed facts like a grasping sponge. The girl begged Walter to read to her from novels with their topics solely centered on politics every night before she was old enough to squirrel _Crime and Punishment_ under her covers with a bulky torch. Arthur would spend many nights in the library taming his strong willed child with the promise of teaching her Latin and Danish like it was some sort of treat to the girl.

"Walter, can you teach me how to use your wires?" Integra lisped to her butler one day when she turned ten. He practically glowed with parental joy that she would take an interest in the art of death through the swift slice of an enemy, but when he described the many elements of the craft and allowed her to play with his wires, she came to the conclusion that she would much rather shoot the bastards in the face. Walter chuckled and told her that her choice of vernacular was charming, but to only use it when he was around else Arthur would surely punish his poor servant. At times, Walter would be content. They were a makeshift family. Arthur, Walter, Integra and sometimes the Penwood fellow. Life became too easy, and Walter would always wonder when Millennium would strike. When would the guillotine fall to sever this lasting peace? Already, he could feel himself become antsy. There were few notes delivered to him with instructions. So few with barely any more than just the indication for him to wait. To bide his time.

And so when Arthur fell ill and shrunk into his deathbed when Integra was twelve, Walter was just as stunned has his young charge. He knew that Millennium killing Arthur was an important part of the plan. Without Arthur, then Integra would be in control of the Hellsing estate. She would have to be the one to free the vampire master Alucard. Yet, Walter wanted it both ways. He could not stand to see his best friend in peril. To lose the one who saved him so long ago forever. It would be another blow and a strong one indeed. But he needed to make sure that he planted one seed into the old man's head before the strong Hellsing head finally lost his battle with his fatal sickness. When Walter had a chance to spend time alone with his aged master, he bent down to whisper in Arthur's ear. _Does Integra know about Alucard? I am only your butler, but I do believe that if there is a situation where she needs him, she should have the vampire at her disposal._ Arthur agreed to Walter's manipulations out of fear for his daughter's well being, and so the die was cast. The deal, set. Before the day was through, Arthur Hellsing had died, leaving all to his loving daughter, Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, in control of the entire supernatural organization.

Everything then began to crash.

As expected, Richard came to kill his niece to gain the fame of his brother's lands. Walter made himself scarce, watching over the girl as she desperately ran from her murderous uncle. He deftly nudged and prodded her towards where Alucard slept, locked away in his cell. Walter made certain not to let his young charge fall into true danger with his wires always at the ready, but this was an integral endeavor. She had to wake the demon. He saw the girl's blood spray from her delicate form due to her uncle's callousness, and it took all of his inner calm to keep himself from killing that foul man himself. But then there was Alucard. Ah, yes. He took the blood's offering. Walter's heart pounded, and he shoved the heels of his hand's into his eyes. This was truly it. The butler's rib cage squeezed, the walls caved in, his vision became dark. Arthur was gone. Integra, the sweet girl, would at some point despise him. All would crumble down to the moment where it would be him and Alucard. An outcast and a turncoat. Walter shakily smoothed his hair back.

Always the man looking in from the outside, Walter observed. He saw the irrefutable bond between the young woman and the vampire bud and then blossom. They gelled well together, reminding him of the woman with pale skin and dark freckles. Her rose bud lips. The long, strawberry hair. Her hands at his hips, her words in his ears. How she would make him writhe with the desire for her. He cursed Integra and Alucard for instilling such lustful yearning in an old man such as himself, knowing that the one of whom he was meant to be with was forever taken from him. During those times, he urged for the play's finale. How much longer could he wait?

In some cruel twist of irony, Walter had to wait until Alucard sired his very own Draculina. Oh, how charming. When he did not bother to turn and listen when Lorelei gasped her last breathes of bloodied air, Alucard would lend his treacherous hand to the woman Seras Victoria. Even though Walter could have coldly laughed at the ridiculous situation, he did have to admit, the police girl did remind him of Lorelei. She was resilient, that was for certain. And when he questioned Alucard as to why he changed the police girl, the master vampire had answered simply _it was on a whim, and she was the one who chose, not he_. Walter did not buy the bluff, but elegantly bowed his head, knowing that this farce would soon be blown far away.

Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.

How much longer? The Major had already begun his attack on the city of London.

Tick tock. Tick Tock.

They sent Alucard away. All according to that blasted plan. Walter watched Integra from his peripherals. He committed her proud expressions to memory. The Integra who trusted him for any and all would soon be gone. He just had to see her one last time.

Tick tock.

Walter rejoined Millennium. The demented Doctor was working on him and he forced himself to trace the outlines of her smile. The dimple on her right cheek. How she never gave in.

Tick.

"No one will get in the way of my treasons."

There he was. Alucard. The veil was gone. Burnt to a blackened crisp. He couldn't stand to witness the ones he loved, Integra, Seras, even Alucard, to burn brightly with their hatred towards him. No. No, he didn't care. Hurry and goad them. Make it easy for yourself to strike Alucard down and for him to despise you. Do it or go mad. Do it or fall to pieces. Ah, this moment long worked for, long fretted after, was only that. A moment.

Tock.

Alucard. The master vampire. The menace to mankind. He was gone. So why?! Why wasn't everything right again? Why was the pain still there? No, he had to end this. Needed to see the play right until the applause. The Doctor had to die for all to be set right for the ones he betrayed. He had to clean the slate, although it will always be stained for him. What he had done did nothing to sate his utter despair.

Ti…

Walter lay against an overturned table. He smoked the last cigarette on his person. The world was falling apart in a fiery inferno. Millennium was eradicated. Alucard was no longer an influence to dirty the world. The butler was a turncoat who still felt the ache of the one who died long ago. All was as it should be. Right? This had to be it else all of it, _all of it_ was for naught.

"It's a damn shame. I'd hoped to give Alucard a proper send off. We had a good run, Master Integra."

 _ **An End to the Possible Future**_

Lorelei was floating inside of oblivion. It was dark, but light. Cold and hot. She scooted around by walking with her two feet, and yet floated upon the particles around her. She had witnessed all of Walter's life from the point she supposedly died all the way to when he closed his own curtain to the play thanks to the visions of Integra Senior, aka Oliver. Or were they just visions? She had been behind Walter's eyes this entire time, these long and strenuous years, that it was difficult to regain her sense of self. Yes. She was Lorelei Richford. And she was also in a bit of trouble. Oliver had been watching the future progress with her, but at the very end, she released her captive into this hateful void. What became of Lorelei's body? Was she even still held captive back in 1961?

A form materialized next to her, pulsating once and then twice. Each twitch of the fabric of space and time feathered out into veins, then bones, and then flesh. Someone was growing or being birthed right next to her. And as this person was thundering into existence, a low but undeniable voice hummed behind her skull. Not the one who was being written into life, but someone else. The last person she would expect.

"Ah, I found you, woman. Have you been hiding here this whole time? You naughty girl. It doesn't matter. I have a gift for you now that I am everywhere and nowhere, I can at least save one of my favorite people. Use him well. Mayhap you can return and change what's been done. Good luck, spitfire."

"Alucard? Wait, come back! Are you alright? Can I help you?"

"Listen to you, wanting to aid a beast. HA! _No_. Concentrate on yourself, and let me save you both."

The voice fizzled out. That had to have been Alucard. The last she saw through Walter's perspective, the vampire master had once and for all been taken off the face of the earth by forcibly knitting the man into existence itself thanks to Schrodinger. A fate worse than the death he so craved. She lifted her ghostly hand and bit the tip of her nail. Where was she for real? Was she truly dead or did Oliver still have her within the midst of a future vision? Lorelei focused on the activity next to her. Alucard said he brought someone. How could this be? She gasped as she recognized the figure, the color scheme, the person in total.

"Walter!"

The boy, for that was what he was, was not facing her. All she could see was his slender back. He remained as he was when he perished. She saw that he still did not have his right arm. That there was blood continually dripping in a steady stream from his torso. His dark clothing was stained a terrible black, and yet he turned easily when he heard Lorelei's call.

"You!" There was shock etched painfully on his beautiful child's face, and yet the aged soul underneath the soft skin shone intensively bright. "What did I do to reserve a place in Heaven? Surely, a turncoat such as I, should have been cast into Hell." He shuddered, rooted to the spot. Afraid that if he took so much as one step, the woman before him would wisp away. Always away from his grasp. Perhaps this really could turn into a Hell.

"Walter," Lorelei gasped again. "I'm real. At least, I think I am." She shakily held out her arms. "Hold me, and we'll find out together."

Walter's mouth twisted from a weak smirk to an excruciating rip of sadness and relief. He barreled into Lorelei's arms. His head reached up to her clavicle, and he buried as much of his body as he could into her form. She kissed his salty forehead and brushed the back of his hair as they grasped each other, creating lifelines from each place they touched. To anyone else, the reunion would have resembled a mother comforting her son.

"I saw everything. You've been holding onto everything yourself, Walter. Why didn't you speak with Arthur? You didn't have to betray the people you clearly loved just to avenge my death, you dolt." Lorelei never closed her eyes. She had to see him. Every part of him.

"Can you not just say thank you? Most women would be flattered if their beau devoted his twilight years in atoning for their untimely demise." Walter snuggled close to Lorelei's chest, letting his hand drift down to her left hip.

"No matter what anyone says, you are my devoted butler. A butler who got into an unnecessary mess because of me. Didn't I tell you that it was the Major's fault I was killed? At least, that's what I said in the vision when you were holding me."

"You are speaking in riddles, Poppet. Please, clarify."

Lorelei briefly gave Walter the version of events he had missed out on. She told him about Oliver's true identity and who she followed orders from, causing him to grip her tighter against him. Lorelei also explained that the spear that killed her within the vision was indeed from Alucard's night parade, but none of the apparitions were the culprit. Oliver had commandeered a fallen spear and plunged the blade into Lorelei's stomach. The misery cast upon Walter had been intentional. Oliver and the Major knew that the death of Lorelei would be the tipping point in Walter's loyalties. They needed him to have a reason to betray all he held dear.

"Dammit! I was played like a fiddle, wasn't I? I couldn't even be the instrument to my own actions." Walter cursed a few more times until he gasped and pulled the slightest inch away from her to peer into her turquoise eyes with his shinning silver irises. "You keep speaking of visions. Are you saying that you, your current form, has not experienced these events you've relayed? That you're somehow _still_ in a vision? That you're not dead?"

"I think so. I'm not entirely sure, but I believe that Oliver was pushed away from my mind when Alucard disappeared. She did not account for him once again. Always her prideful mistake, isn't it? Oliver never once believed that her visions could be interrupted by something that had not occurred yet. That Alucard could get what he wants. Or maybe Alucard would always be an unknown factor, despite what the Major and his spy, Zorin, hoped."

"And what does Alucard want, exactly?" Walter raised his remaining hand to brush Lorelei's face. She beamed and cupped his fingers with hers. This no space, this emptiness and void did not allow them to feel their touches, their warmth, but she could understand the depth of the love wound tight around them. Tying them tighter together.

"He brought you here so that I may take you with me. You're coming back to reside within yourself from thirty eight years ago. The question is, are you willing to take over the consciousness of your younger self so that we may do what must be done?"

"If I could betray Integra, Seras, and Alucard to avenge your death and attempt to save the world from the supernatural atrocities allocated to Alucard's existence, then I can take residence within my younger bones without hesitation just for the chance to live my life with you." There were tears in both of their eyes as they took their precious moments in stride.

"Alright then, lovebirds. I can't handle this any longer. I'm sending you both back and make sure you don't fuck it up this time. Being an omniscient creature fighting with the souls I've devoured isn't the type of immortality I signed up for," boomed Alucard's bodiless voice. The two jumped, and grinned. Lorelei snatched Walter's left hand, and they clasped each other to the point of pain if they could have felt it.

"Alucard, before you take us back, I need to tell you something," Walter spoke to the empty void.

"No. Not here. Save it for the other me. He is the one who requires that the most. Farewell, my lovely friends."

With a dizzying blur of blended colors and a hiss of time itself ripping to shreds, Lorelei and Walter twirled into a hole bound straight for 1961.


	11. Part Eleven: Adjust

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and _sexual relations_. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Have you ever heard of a fruit pizza? Well, one need only take sugar cookie crust as your base, add sweetened cream cheese as the supposed sauce, and sliced fruit for the toppings (generally strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, or whatever you may enjoy.) This dish is wonderful at energizing a poor soul in the evening. I would highly suggest trying it tonight. See you on the flip side.

Part Eleven: Adjust

When Walter opened his violet eyes, he was half expecting to be in the Doctor's laboratory floor, bloodied and still a betrayer hallucinating what he desired to witness before he truly expired for the final time. The butler hissed when two inch long fangs nearly took out his jugular, debunking the man's theory of a 1999 return. He blinked, clearing the murky haze that seemed to cling to his every joint and motor skills. Now the scene around him was clearing. A quick survey to his left told the butler that someone had driven back the creature with a machine gun who had been perilously close to wiping Walter permanently out of existence spoiling this second chance at had saved him? Arthur. His old friend, alive again. More so, never dead in the first place.

"Not that I'm complaining, I really am not mind you, and despite the bragging rights I now hold over you for saving your bottom, but from one friend to another, could you please pay attention to the large, furry creatures trying to disembowel you? I know you like dogs, Walter, but I don't think I can make a collar big enough to fit around FuFu's neck."

"Sir, you do not know how much I've missed you."

"Missed me? _Missed me?_ Oh, I understand now. You almost got your face chewed off because you were on some mind trip not worth taking me with? Walter, I know some good hallucinogens do wonders for the fighting spirit, but as a friend, I need to say that an intervention may be somewhere around the corner."

"I severely cannot handle you, sir. Now," Walter could see that they were back in the hallway's entrance of the lycanthrope lair. One beast had just flown at him with claws unsheathed, not realizing he was falling into a trap of an intricate patchwork of wires until he was but a mess of flayed flesh and cracked bone. "Please do not fight me on this question. I only wish to know how long we have been fighting with the lycanthropes." The timing was critical. The butler needed to know when to take action.

"You sound exactly like an old man when you're all passive like that," Arthur muttered under his breath even though Walter could hear him quite clearly. "I'm not sure. It's hard to gage these sort of things. Maybe an hour. An hour and a half. Why are you asking, oh overly-attached butler?"

The lycanthropes, once so fierce in trying to wreck the men into bloody turn, suddenly flipped their tails between their legs and abandoned their viscous attack. They clambered back up the tunnel's entrance and out into the open night sky transforming into the birth of the morning. Walter clucked his tongue and turned to Arthur, who had thrown his machine gun away due to lack of rounds. The butler knew what time it was now without Arthur's help. It was time to get moving or else lose what his heart found precious for the second time in this gifted life.

"Pardon me, sir." Walter blatantly ignored his master's previous question, nearly tackling the Hellsing leader to the floor. The man yelped and grabbed at Walter's shoulders to regain his wobbly balance, and then glared sharply at his supposed hired help. The butler avoided the cool gaze and dug around in a specific pocket in Arthur's jacket. His hand curled around something cool, and most likely metal. He extracted the communication device from Arthur's possession in one swift motion.

"Excuse me, who died and told you you could grope me like that? I'm a sensitive soul, Walter. Maybe if you asked, I would have been of the same mind—although, I'm not really into men. Not saying you're not attractive. You are! It's just, I don't really like other men's dicks."

Walter only spared one good natured glare of annoyance at his employer, silently swearing to himself that he would do whatever he could to protect him, second to Lorelei. His friend deserved more than an avenging butler hellbent on one goal alone and be damned the consequences.

"My apologies. You were simply too attractive to resist," he sighed. Arthur chortled in response. Walter continued,"I digress, I need to leave immediately. Lorelei is in dire straits." The butler held up his finger when he saw Arthur's mouth pop open. "No, no, no. I shall explain later. Time is essential. Please, stay safe." Without a second glance, Walter exited the lycanthrope threshold, retracing the steps he blundered through thirty-eight years prior.

"But the lycanthropes, Walter!" Arthur shouted after his friend. Only his voice echoing through the hallways answered him back.

…

Lorelei was still tied to her tree. She had to admit, it was nice to have a body after being held hostage in a premonition that lasted for almost four decades. She wiggled her toes, her fingers, and as much of her anatomy as she could. After opening and closing her mouth and blinking a few more times, she surmised that she was back home in her body permanently. With her first worry dealt with, she then scanned the surrounding deep green forest intently. The cold fingers upon her forehead of which had first sent Lorelei on her crazy mind trip had vanished. Was Oliver gone now? She searched for the beauty only to find that the woman was laying collapsed at her feet completely passed out. Her eyes were closed with a knit brow so intense, she was frowning even in her blacked out state. Beside her was a miniature radio.

 _Alright. What to do. She's already called for her backup. On one good note, Walter for sure would have stopped Arthur from calling Alucard. I don't have to worry about revenge and betrayals. Next, Oliver is out cold. She can't stab me to frame Alucard anyway. Two threats are out of the way. All I have to worry about are the lycanthropes. Great. Just fantastic. Easy as pie._

The vampire hunter cast back into the vision, recalling the types of knots Walter needed to cut in order to free her pierced body. She squirmed, knowing that she didn't actually die in the vision, but she understood how easy Oliver and the Major's plot could have really come to fruition. If it weren't for the Major's critical misstep in offering Alucard the ability to become existence itself, then the man's own undoing would not be cemented through the vampire's cornerstone. There was the new objective now. To capture the Major and teach him the error of his ways until he begs for goddamn mercy. Lorelei need only live through step one. She calmly attempted to loosen the bindings without luck. Curse this Oliver's boy scout knot skills.

Hulking figures lurked in the forest's shadows, lumbering in a hungry mass. Flashes of yellow, green, and amber eyes locking on her prone form forced Lorelei's calm into an eventual frenzy. She would not allow herself to get killed. She refused to leave Walter all alone again. With a final tug, the ropes fell in a coil to the dewy grass below. She heaved a short lived sigh of relief until one lycanthrope broke from the copse of trunks and bark, barreling at her with paws aimed at her throat. Lorelei ducked just in time, letting the beast use his own momentum as his undoing. The crack of bones and cartilage was oddly satisfying as she rolled away to Oliver's body. The lycanthrope fell in a daze next to its ringleader. Lorelei quickly skimmed her hands along Oliver's body until they brushed over the lovely handle of a gun underneath the woman's black turtleneck. Lorelei got up to find another lycanthrope galloping over. She aimed and fired her bullets three times into the animal's orbital lobe. Unfortunately, they were not silver, and so the bullets only served to slow the thing down.

"Dammit," Lorelei hissed. There were only seven more shots left, and that was only if Oliver had the pistol fully loaded. The vampire hunter briefly wondered if she should run for it, only to dash the idea immediately. Those things were definitely faster. She'd succeed in only wearing herself out if she ran. "Okay, a good amount of you versus my non-silver bullets. Sure. Hit me with your best shot." She squeezed another bullet out, piercing the eye of her enemy in a liquid, gushy mess. The bullet must have lodged itself into the victim's brain, and she rightly went down. Good. Only seventy more to go.

"Lorelei!"

She bit her lip as her heart jumped from a cliff and then soared. A cold sweat prickled along her arms and back as she trembled from that one utterance. Her breath caught, and she forced herself to focus on the lycanthropes ahead of her. She couldn't afford to become a bowl of mush while things were trying to kill her.

"Walter, I really want to kiss you right now, but I'm super busy!" Her bullet missed its mark by a centimeter. It managed to temporarily halt the howling beast long enough for her to turn. Walter was at her side. She could feel his body heat brushing next to hers. Could smell his honey and clover scent. He was a marvel, and he was completely real. For so long, she could not interact with him, being forced to watch as she lived inside of his mind, holding a moment of death so close that he could no longer exist without his faux purpose. How she yearned to touch him. To hold him to her chest and let him cling to her. To let him know that there was no need to avenge her death, that he was perfect. Now, with his presence so close, she was in reverence. If they escaped death tonight, she would cherish every touch, every glance, every word until their parting days.

"Stand back, Mistress. It is time that I properly tidy up this mess like a felicitous butler." Walter was staring ahead at the enemies, focused on his goal with violet irises blazing. The butler's ebony hair blew in the sweet wood scented wind as he planted his feet into a sturdy position. He created a wire web around the branches of the trees so adeptly, only Lorelei noticed the movements required to manage such and act. The lycanthropes certainly did not learn from their last meeting with the Angel of Death and speed into the deadly wires. They raged as many of their brethren were caught and sliced into coppery sinew. Others clawed at the air, trying to dismantle the stringy barrier. Walter used the moments of confusion for his benefit. He held up a radio, and after taking a few seconds to fiddle with the stations, turned it on.

"Alucard. I know you're somewhere around here. Arthur was about to send you over to deal with the lycanthropes until I interrupted him. Theses orders are from our master. He wants the beasts destroyed." Lorelei saw Walter's white teeth flashing even in the darkness as he bared them.

"Admit it, Walter. He is not imparting these directions personally because he feels chagrined it's come down to what I suggested in the first place. He's having the butler deliver the message," came the cocky response from the other station.

"Stop wasting time, you buffoon, and get over here, now." Walter frowned at the item in his tightening grip.

"I cannot release my contained form without Sir Arthur Hellsing's direct orders. Even while knowing this, do you still want my aid at the risk of some lycanthropes escaping?"

"Your point is valid, but I shall not allow a single one to live after this night. Alucard, while I've missed your charming aptitude, you still grate on my nerves. Just come as you are or not at all!"

"Aww, but Walter," Alucard's booming baritone doubled. One voice came from the radio while another increased in volume behind Walter and Lorelei. They nervously glanced back to find the vampire holding his own radio between his white gloved fingers. He dangled the item until he playfully dropped it and stepped on the metal casing, crunching the technology. Walter rolled his eyes at the theatrics. "You know I cannot miss this party. I was personally invited, after all." Alucard had his signature guns in both of his hands in a mere blink of the eye. Their silver jackets glimmered as he swung his arms up and shot the lycanthropes caught in Walter's web. Then he focused on the beasts Lorelei stunned. In a burst of shattered skulls and brains, he redirected his rounds at the creatures attempting to shimmy around the treacherous wires to lunge and sink their teeth into the two humans. It was about this time that the lycanthropes attempted to turn tail and escape.

"Like I'd let you leave after all the trouble you've caused. Sorry, ladies and gents, but the show is finally over." Walter flung his fingers out and he grit his teeth in intense concentration as he encircled the remaining forty lycanthropes in an immense cage. Two managed to escape Walter's attempt to corral the creatures, but Lorelei was already on the case. She used two more of her bullets, running the cartridge dry. One bullet took out its target by smashing through the lycanthrope's noggin. The other only stunned. Alucard picked up where Lorelei left off and shot a silver bullet into the beast's body. It yelped, clawing at the entrance wound, until the sting of silver and flesh bubbled into a grotesque bloodied carcass. Alucard nudged Lorelei and flung a magnum and extra bullets into her hands.

"Don't use crap. Here."

Lorelei blinked and stared at the gun she was loaned. The weapon was definitely the type loaded with silver bullets and it packed a punch, that was for sure. She could kill at least fifteen more lycanthropes. Feeling more confident with Walter and Alucard fighting a common enemy side by side, she lifted the magnum handgun and didn't miss any of her shots.

Soon, the pile of live bodies dwindled into nothing at all. The trio efficiently killed each and every one of their enemies, but not without consequence. Walter had been badly injured on his left arm. The razor sharp claws of a female lycanthrope ripped through his bicep, almost dismembering the butler. He growled from the intense pain, but used the beast's overconfidence for her downfall. Walter crafted a perfect wire that snapped up and decapitated the beast. Her head fell with a thump, still grinning from her supposed victory. The butler tore a piece of fabric from his undershirt and tied a temporary tourniquet around his arm. The bone glistened underneath his red flesh, and yet he continued fighting unfazed.

Lorelei did not come out of the fight faring any better. A lycanthrope, through a series of quick side steps, managed to catch her off guard as she fired her magnum. The beast impaled her through the side, missing any major organs. Lorelei was able to move just in time to keep the damage minimal, but she couldn't help but remember the vision where her lung had been pierced and collapsing when Walter last saw her alive. She swore out loud and stuck the magnum into the lycanthrope's mouth. He yelped, but there was no time to plea. She pulled the trigger, and that was the end of the threat in teeth and tongue matter flying.

Alucard had been torn, scratched, bitten, and impaled of the like, seeing as he was in the front line taking out the ones who dared take him head on. As a master vampire, he was able to regenerate from the base wounds, bored from the lack of effort he needed to put into taking these dogs out of their misery. His only grievance was the loss of his red hat and orange sunglasses. He need not worry. There was a new pair in one of his pockets.

In the hum of the lycanthrope massacre aftermath, no one noticed the high toned beeping coming from Walter's pocket. They were still caught in the song of battle, singing the tune of carnage. Gasping in a lung full of sweaty air, Lorelei looked around for the source of the odd sound. It was completely out of place after such a fight. Walter was the first to shake free from their amazing feat. They had defeated the lycanthropes with only two humans and a vampire at his base level. They had done what only a fully released Alucard was able to do in another universe. The butler removed the device he took from Arthur and clicked a button.

"Arthur?Arthur! Dammit you protestant asshole, answer me you sunnova…aye!? There you are!"

"Actually, this is Walter, Arthur's butler."

"Who? Gah, I don't very well care right now. There's something urgent—"

"We have acquired Lorelei, the lycanthropes are all dead, and our plan B was not deployed. Soon, we shall return to the hotel." Walter opened his mouth to say more, but thought better of it. There was no use in revealing all of his cards from already living and understanding what happened to Anderson. "Where are you, anyway, priest?"

"First, lemme wrap me head 'round what the hell ye just said. Whattya mean everything is flippin' alright?"

"Exactly how it sounds. The mission is complete. The night has been won. The morning sun is out, albeit covered by clouds. You have done your Holy work."

"You protestant git," Anderson huffed. He paused, clearly nonplused by the turn of events. "We, meaning the woman and myself, killed the 'thropes on the inside until none came at us. We decided to move on in until someone poked me with a needle n' I went out cold. The heathenous asswipes. When I woke, I was back n' my room at the hotel a bloomin' three hours away."

"Then we shall meet you there. Don't move until we arrive. I need to collect Arthur and our vehicles."

"I don't know what in the bloody hell happened over there, but I expect some lovely answers. And they better be good!" Anderson's station went dead. Walter's shoulders drooped as he made to turn to Lorelei when a sound from the side made the trio pinpoint where the ruckus was originating from. Apparently, the dawn hadn't quite made it's true peak.

"W-Where am I?" Oliver was awake. She was hunkered on all fours near the tree where once upon a time, Lorelei had woman stared at the grass wet from dew and blood bunched up into her hands. A couple lycanthropes had perished too close for comfort next to her prone form, and as a result, her fine turtleneck was covered in the spray of death and innards.

"Do _not_ move, Integra Oliver Donell!" Lorelei lifted her magnum even though there were no more bullets left to release. The wound on her lower abdomen twitched, but she did not give into her urge to cradle the pain. Oliver could still be dangerous. Alucard sheathed his weapons and surveyed the following scene. As far as he was concerned, he had fulfilled his duties. If this was truly the mysterious Oliver Arthur had been so worried about, he would have to let Arthur deal with her appropriately. Walter was of a different and mixed opinion. He had known this woman when she posed as the love of Arthur's life, bearing the child Integra who would grow into an admirable woman. How would the timeline continue with such an abrupt deviation? As much as Walter wanted to carve out her neck for plotting with the Major to turn the butler rogue, she was the source of a mostly pleasant future with the brave Sir Integra and the kind Seras Victoria he would never live through again.

"Who are you talking about?" Oliver daintily placed a hand on the trunk of the tree and wobbly got to her feet. She squinted at the trio in their different stages of curiosity directed solely upon her. Integra shook her head, her matted golden hair smacking against her face, and whimpered. "I can't. I can't remember a thing. I can see only your futures, but to me, I see nothing. Nothing at all." Oliver sobbed, smacking a palm to her face as if to contain the raging agony storming in her skull. "Something essential is telling me that I am able to peer into the past as well, but I'm being blocked. Everything is white. It's blank!"

"Are you really saying that you don't even know your own name?" Lorelei's hands were wet with sweat as she watched Oliver's reaction.

"No. All I remember is a man's voice. He was telling me something. What was it…he told me to be good. To treat him right. That he was taking what I've lived through so I could have it better. I…what in the world."

Lorelei and Walter secretly exchanged looks. There could only be one _he_ that Oliver could possibly be speaking of. Perhaps, just perhaps, did the Alucard of the alternate timeline manage to catch Integra senior and wipe away her memories? That could be why Lorelei was left alone at the very end of the vision, left to hover in that odd void. Was this future Alucard's plan all along? But could they really take in a woman who had wanted them all dead despite her loss of memories. Lorelei sheathed her weapon and walked up to the struggling woman.

"Alright, I understand. You can't remember anything. After what's happened, you probably never will." She knew she went the wrong direction in her attempt at comfort when Oliver backed into the tree as if she could fuse and hide within its protection. "I'm not saying that to frighten you, but knowing the circumstance of how you lost your memories, I think that someone intentionally took them from you." She let her palm hover in between them as an offering of a tentative truce. Oliver bit her lip and refused to relent.

"I say! There you all are! Making me, your lord commander, trudge over God knows where in order to find your sorry bums," grumbled a familiar voice from the edge of the battlefield. Lorelei did not dare to take her eyes away from Integra, but she briefly saw Walter and Alucard turn to face their master. "You two dolts there! Never have I been so thoroughly disobeyed!"

"Disobeyed? What makes you think that we've strayed from your given orders?" Lorelei could practically hear the smirk that dripped from Alucard's question. She saw in her minds eye Alucard's damn pronounced dimples as he stood head to head to the clearly frustrated leader of the Hellsing Organization.

"For starters, my loyal butler here took my only means of communication and therefore endangered others in the possibility of letting those damn lycanthropes loose upon the village. Not to mention, you were not given orders to unleash anything at all, my dear count." Did Lorelei hear the subtle shift of cloth? Was Arthur truly folding his arms in an adult temper tantrum? Goodness, she really wanted to turn and watch the whole event unfold, but Integra was watching not her, but Arthur.

"Sir, there is no more cause for concern. We've killed every lycanthrope in the area. As for Alucard, he did not release his bound powers. In fact, he was merely taking a morning stroll and found that we were of need of some assistance," Walter answered in a cool, calm tone. There was a hidden cockiness to his statement of which made chills slither down her back. That confidence became him well. "Besides, not only have we recovered Lorelei…"

"Recovered? Now, was she missing?"

"Yes. And before you ask, Anderson is back at the hotel. They were both kidnapped, and Lorelei…"

"Kidnapped? Good grief, what else happened that you three haven't told me?"

"As I was trying to tell you, sir, we have also apprehended the culprit, Oliver. She is with Lorelei as we speak."

"Oliver?" Arthur must have peered around the two men to single out the frightened figure before Lorelei. " _She's_ Oliver? Well, at least we can get the answers to our questions."

"Unfortunately, sir, during the battle with the lycanthropes, she has lost the ability to recollect her memories," Walter informed his master. There was a crunching against the grass, and Lorelei felt the presence of Arthur shoulder to shoulder with her. He smelled of gunpowder and cigars. Integra's whole body relaxed when she saw Arthur fully, and miracle of miracles, she let herself smile. It was a small one, and shy, but the act clearly won Arthur over on the spot.

"Ah, so you're the Oliver we've been hearing all about. It's a shameful pity that we won't be getting much out of you unless you regain those memories any time soon." Arthur cupped his hand around his chin. Lorelei saw multiple cuts, scrapes, and bruises on the man, but the injuries only served to enhance the man's unique handsomeness. "I'm willing to bet that without your memories, you have no clue where to stay, and I can't possibly throw you in a cell for crimes you don't remember. Hmn," Arthur drew out that last thoughtful _hmn_ as long as he could while watching the hopeful expression on the woman in front of him grow and grow. He chuckled. "Alright! Would you like to stay at the Hellsing manor? If you recall anything at all, well, I guess I'd have to lock you up. So, maybe you _won't_ just to keep everything smooth sailing, eh?"

"I…well." Integra looked the man up and down, appraising every detail. "Okay, I don't mind staying with you." Instead of taking Lorelei's hand that was still offered in the air and waiting, Integra crossed over to Arthur and grasped his arm. He smirked, golden eyes glimmering, and briefly broke contact with her to shimmy out of his jacket and drape it over her shoulders. She sheepishly grinned and allowed Arthur to escort her.

"Come on Alucard, Walter, Lorelei. We need to get back to the hotel so we can be our way. I have to report everything to the Queen and relieve Anderson of his post. Then we must figure out a course of action in regards to the poisoned water sources," Arthur called out to the trio behind him. He and Integra were already halfway across the clearing, ignoring the scattered bodies of the dead lycanthropes. "Walter, since you are already in possession of my communication device, I shall need you to radio in the clean up crew. Quickly now, Walter." With that, Arthur and Integra disappeared into the trees.

"So, I guess he's not that mad now, is he?" Lorelei ventured to say after a small moment of stunned silence.

"I conjectured it would go this way," Walter shrugged. He was holding his injured arm to his chest, and Lorelei could see the white bone glistening underneath his flesh. How in the world had he managed to continue fighting with a wound as severe as that?

"You two are different." Walter and Lorelei jumped and stared at the huge red vampire standing in between them. He was taking turns watching them both with an inquisitive grin leering upon his features. "Walter, you wouldn't normally take matters into your own hands as you did tonight. And Lorelei, how do you know for sure that young Oliver will never regain her memories?" He lazily pointed to his long nose. "To be blunt, I smell something fishy, here."

"We, hmn, we need to dress Walter's wounds right now. And look, I've been skewered! We won't be of any use to the Hellsing Organization as vegetables. Come on, Walter. Let's follow the master to the rental vehicles. I've packed first aid in the storage area."

"Yes, Mistress." Walter nodded. He procured the communication device, and after a moment's pause, he called the clean up crew to remove not only the evidence of their battle, but to collect necessary information from the lycanthrope lair. Lorelei and Walter walked side by side, not touching lest they give in to the pressure of so many years right then and there in front of Alucard and amidst the lycanthrope corpses. Not the best of areas or audiences from their true reunion. The vampire master sniffed and followed behind them. He saw how close these two were without even being physical. They were much more intimate now than when they departed only a few hours previously, and a nighttime fight side by side would not be enough to conjure such closeness. Alucard would make sure that they spilled the beans on what exactly occurred between them, and not only Walter and Lorelei, but that Oliver was involved as well.

Alucard did not voice his other concern to the lovebirds. He still recalled Freckles, Glasses, and Cherry, the children who died at the boarding school because of Oliver's insane orders. Although he agreed that a woman who could not remember her crimes should not die as punishment, there had to be a line. Alucard thought, after Walter and Lorelei saw the exact same carnage at the orphanage as he did, that they would be opposed to Oliver actually living with them. That they could stomach the thought a of such a dangerous woman becoming cozy with Sir Arthur Hellsing was odd in itself. But they almost seemed relieved. Like they got the outcome they desired as if loose ends were being tied. That just did not add up. Yet, who was he to oppose Arthur's decisions other than provide choices catered to his own will? And, in the end, did Alucard's concerns really matter? The lycanthropes were gone. Oliver was essentially sterilized. The clean up crew wouldn't only wash off the mess in the clearing and hideout, but clean the poisoned water the lycanthropes had been brewing. For now, he would observe and be content with that. The vampire master grinned and pulled out a new pair of orange tinted sunglasses, straightening the accessory on the bridge of his nose.

"What another lovely night turned into dawn."

…

The rag tag group arrived at their hotel, meeting up with a highly aggravated Anderson.

They explained as best as they could to the exasperated priest, who in turn stomped around and cursed at the dirty gathering until he cooled off and was able to express some form of relief that Lorelei had turned out safe after he was abducted, something of which still hurt his ego. They all watched the priest in their respective spots in Arthur's suite; Arthur and Integra (or it was just Oliver now since she preferred the name more) on the fluffy edge of his bed's comforter, Walter in an arm chair to keep his newly sewn and bandaged arm level, Lorelei standing against the wall with her arms crossed in amusement, and Alucard in his coffin to keep out of sight from the hyper priest.

"Well, I be supposin' ye all aren't in any need of me any longer. Bringin' in the ringleader of the damn 'thrope clan n' not even whippin' her. You pretty pigs are so in love with the git, you might as well marry her. I'll be on my way." Anderson made to turn, his hand resting the the handle of the door, when he whipped around to face Arthur. "I guess you'll be needin' to know this, too. When I came to and tried to get in contact with ye dumbasses, I saw three suspicious characters trying to manhandle their way into yer suite."

"Three?" Arthur jumped and then narrowed his eyes. He chewed the inside of his lip. "Could you tell me what they looked like?"

"Aye, they all had the same face except two were female and the other male."

"I knew it," Arthur muttered under his breath. "I guess this isn't over yet. We have to continue it."

"Eh? What's you mutterin' 'bout ever there?" Anderson scratched his scruffy five o' clock shadow and shrugged. "I don't care. I did what I came to do, and so now I hope to never see yer faces again. M' going back to Italy to tend to my orphanage as I rightly should be doin'." He waved behind his back and left the room. The priest's grumbles were audible until he descended the staircase a few yards down the hallway.

"Always a pleasant source of conversation, that man is. We will have to make sure that we really _do not_ meet with Mr. Anderson again in the future." Walter inclined a brow at Lorelei who in turn nodded.

"Undoubtedly," Arthur agreed. He sighed and turned to his butler. "Walter, I need to dismiss you and Miss Oliver for a few minutes to speak with Lorelei alone, if I may." Arthur saw Walter's momentary frown of intense discomfort that mirrored Lorelei's until they both made the sour expressions magic away. "Come now, it will only be for a few moments. Shoo. This is quite important." Arthur flicked his fingers at the exit, inclining his head in a clearly eager gesture.

"As you wish, sir." Walter begrudgingly lifted himself from the armchair and offered his healthy arm to Oliver. She worriedly cast a glance at Arthur, who smiled assuringly almost as if giving her his blessings. The woman took Walter's proffered arm, and with one last longing glance from the butler, they departed from the vicinity.

"Is there something you wish to speak about?" Lorelei nervously messed with her stomach's bandages. The suite's atmosphere became frigid, almost stale. Arthur did not answer. He was busy studying the shape of his nails. Did the lights just flicker? She shuddered, desperately needing to be back with Walter. It had only been a few minutes, but the bond they now held was strong, making that specific desire to be near him grow by the second. Surely this talk was about Walter. Alucard saw it. Anderson saw it. Even Oliver saw it. Well, if now was the time to confess her back dealings, then now it was.

When she could no longer bare the deafening silence any longer, she blurted out, "I want to be with Walter," at the same time Arthur strained out, "I've been using you!" They blinked, as if if their outer bubbles had been pierced and asked at the very same time, "what?" The ice was broken, and they began to laugh heartily. Tears bubbled at their eyes, and they brushed the moisture away. Lorelei's stomach hurt from her injury plus laughing with abandon, but it was worth is. Arthur and herself were back to their easy friendship.

"First of all, I already know about you and Walter. I'd be a poor master if I didn't at least see _those_ signs." Arthur leaned over and cupped his hand to his mouth as if telling a dirty secret. "Plus, Walter thought he was pretty smooth trying to explain away why you two were together the night your room exploded, but he really wasn't." Arthur cheekily grinned at her. She briefly gave herself a moment to recall that morning. The whole thing felt so very far away. Those barriers she chained upon herself and Walter seemed so very trivial now with thirty-eight years to temper them.

"O-Okay, and, are you alright with it? I mean, I don't need your blessings at this point, but they'd be highly appreciated," Lorelei ventured.

"Hell, I really did try to keep you away from my staff at least for a little while," Arthur frowned, "Don't think me callous, but I gleaned your spark between Walter the moment you two met. I threw that clause in so you could keep up the ruse that you were going to marry me."

"Hmn? Does this have something to do with the using me comment?"

"Perceptive. And yes, it does. You see, I never intended to go through with the marriage. I'm not the marrying type! And in addition, I couldn't willingly shackle a woman to my side who would never love me romantically. Sorry, toots, but you and me just weren't meant to be." He flashed a dazzling smirk. Lorelei narrowed her eyes and Arthur sighed. "Okay, okay, moving on. You see, there had been anonymous threats directed my way for quite some time. I was hoping that announcing a marriage would bring my enemies out of the woodwork. I didn't want to pick just some ordinary woman to be my fake bride. She had to be able to defend herself and not just some slip of a woman I had to worry about dying at the drop of a hat. Then, I heard of your work for the group, _Defang_. You were exactly what I needed. You could handle yourself, and you were a wonderful asset for the Hellsing Organization. The trick was letting you think that I could become a man with a ring on his finger."

"Why with all the smoke and shadows?"

"Ah, I had to have those enemies believe in the farce as well. If the bride to be didn't, then surely my enemies wouldn't either. And lo, it seems that the maggots poked their heads from the holes of the carcass they were preying upon thanks to your wonderful performance at Dinner."

"Very poetic."

"I pride myself on my English vocabulary."

"It's stunning."

"I know," he poked a finger into the air. "Ah, back to the issue. Any guess on who the culprits are?"

"Your lovely cousin triplets, mayhap?"

"You've hit the target on the nose, my dear! They've played their hand. Destroying your room and then rearing their ugly mugs at this very hotel. I have reason to also suspect that they were working with Oliver, not that I can get any verification any longer. So, gut feeling it is. Now, this is where I need to beg you something hideously important." Arthur gripped his hands and pouted, his golden eyes shining with mirth. The golden hair on his head like a brilliant crown.

"Oh god, what is it?"

"I need you to pretend that you are still my fiancée. You weren't entirely going to be married to me in truth, but at least you believed for a while. It might not be the same now that Walter is your sweetheart, but I have to go through with this farce of a wedding. If I know my cousins, they will try to be all dramatic and shit and attempt to blow the whole place up. Of course, I won't let that happen. I want enough to lock those dick holes away forever."

"What happened to your proud English dictionary there, Arthur?"

"I lose it when I'm angered," he fake growled and then cleared his throat. "Well then, what say you? Will you pretend be my fiancée for four more months?"

"What does being a fake fiancée entail?" Lorelei repositioned herself and decided to sit down in the chair Walter had been in a few minutes beforehand. She could feel some of his lingering warmth. If playing along meant not touching Walter, then she'd have to shoot Arthur down. She valued the man's friendship, but there was no way she would be able to keep her hands to herself after all that they had been through to reunite once again.

"Going out and having dinner. Buying a wedding dress. Inviting guests with those ridiculous handmade cards that people will eventually throw in the bin. Planning a boring reception. This has to be as real as it can be. At least, outside of the manor." He let the sentence drop, and she leaned forward, getting interested in his rectified deal. "You can do whatever you want within the manor's walls and I will hold nothing against what is done. It's what I've been doing, and it was wrong of me to limit you in your choices of appetite just because I desired an acting partner."

"Hmn, well, you drive a hard bargain. Seeing as I knew I was being used at the beginning of our first deal, although not completely understanding what I was being used for, I only see benefit for all parties. Before we shake, I have one last question. When we catch your crazy cousins, what about the wedding? Won't people think that we've married?'

"Aha, I'll just say that it didn't work out and divorce you." His honey eyes flashed dangerously. He wasn't telling her everything, but at the moment, she didn't think a few secrets would harm this deal.

"Okay, but I'm going to be the one to divorce you. _And_ I want a position in your Hellsing Organization Police Force."

"That was a given, young lady! Good, good! Together, we'll beat those pompous asses."

They shook on their newly formed deal, both of their hearts lighter at their heavy confessions, and beginning a solid companionship that would last for years to come. Never had the golden ring, the exact feminine copy to Arthur's, felt lighter.

That had been three hours ago. Lorelei, Walter, Arthur, and Oliver all slept on the plane ride back to the Hellsing Manor, each and every one completely exhausted as they could barely move to make their appointed flight in time. Walter and Arthur were in one row while Lorelei and Oliver shared their own. Heads slumped over to rest on shoulders as the sound of restful snores tore through the plane's interior. Alucard's coffin had been discreetly stowed away into the cargo of the plane. When they arrived at the manor's gates, so familiar now, they shambled over to the main archway and nearly collapsed inside, letting the Hellsing guards roll Alucard's coffin out and down to his favorite basement dwelling.

"Here, I shall appoint Oliver to her new chambers for I know the layout to be quite confusing. They will be next to my own so that I can personally make sure that she has a comfortable stay at the Hellsing manor," Arthur chirped while keeping a strong arm around the beautiful woman's sturdy shoulders. She held her hands to her bosom meekly, the complete opposite of when Lorelei first met the angry, crazy woman who thrust her into a terrible vision of the possible future. Now, she was acting like the infatuated Integra Oliver Donell of Walter's time who seduced Arthur, but fell into the trap of love. And yet, this felt like a pure beginning for Oliver as if she was never meant to walk the path she had for so long. Lorelei waved at the couple. There would need to be some time to adjust both for Oliver and for Lorelei. After all, the woman had just used an entire species to further her own goals, killing them and humans willy-nilly.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Lorelei beamed, and it was just nice to smile about something. Nice to feel warm. To break free from the shackles of agony, pain, and loss. If she were feeling this large load of fuzzies melt into the fabric of this timeline, then she couldn't even imagine what Walter was feeling. _He_ was the one who lived to an old age and died, only to be reborn for another chance.

"I-I won't!" Oliver called back in her charming, deep voice. She blushed and waved back. Who was this woman again?

Walter and Lorelei were left alone for the first time after coming back from the strange void or rip in reality. The butler was not looking at her. He was inspecting a painting of the Rome Colosseum bordered by a bright golden frame encrusted with a swirling indentation. Oh gods and goddess, she was suddenly nervous. She rubbed at her wound to focus on something other than her fluttering stomach as there were a horde of kittens trampling around in there. She suddenly felt something warm in her palm, and she nervously glanced down to see that Walter had locked his fingers with hers without looking. The simple contact, even though her skin was against his glove, was enough to transform bones into melted butter.

"Arthur told me of your new pact," Walter said to the painting. He still wouldn't look at her.

"He did? Good," Lorelei replied as she watched the slight twitch in his jaw's profile. They had time to wash off at the hotel and slip into new clothes and so Walter was too alluring in his crisp uniform, and even if he was still dressed in the rags from earlier, he would have been the best drink of water Lorelei would ever find. "I really thought he wouldn't like us together, but it's nice to get his approval."

"Yes. Everything. Just, everything right now is…too good to be true…for someone like me. I…don't deserve Arthur's kindness, Alucard's alliance, you…after what I've done," Walter's throat closed, and he politely coughed to clear his air passage. Lorelei gripped his hand hard. Very, very hard. He grunted and finally turned to face her. His face was wet with tears and red from the attempt to keep everything in. He had finally let the tears come. The ones that were forced deep inside the night she died in that alternate time line so long in the past. He saw her expression and tried to let go of her, but she grabbed the fabric of his left hip so as to not disturb his injured arm. If he wanted to, he could have broken free, but he forced himself to meet her hardened glare.

"Walter! Now isn't the time to think such things! None of that, all of what happened in the future is just that. It's the future. It hasn't occurred. This is your second chance for redemption. I know you aren't a bad person, and I love your every flaw, your every odd habit, your every attribute no matter what. I'll stand by you so when you hurt, you can rely on me instead of keeping all that pain inside," her own mouth wobbled. "I'm not going to leave you again. Ever." Walter smiled, forcing his left arm to reach out and brush the stray hairs from her face away. And like their first meeting, he brought a lock up to his lips and kissed it.

"As I will forever be your faithful butler, Mistress."

They kissed, crushing their lips together in the hungry need to touch, to absorb one another's fiery energy pouring from them like oceanic waves thundering over their forms. Lorelei could taste Walter's salty tears as his monocle slipped off and hung from the clasp at his ear. She brought her hands up to dry his cheeks, and he covered her hands with his own, keeping them in place so they could savor the moment together. They were touching, they were both alive, they could be free to love as they were intended. Their breathes mixed, heated and devouring their kisses.

"We," Lorelei panted, "Should probably get to your room."

"I'm not done," Walter growled, caught in the rush of a broken dam of something that had built over the years. Lorelei heart soared, hearing the seductive promise huskily cast towards her. Walter pinned her against the wall right under the painting of the Rome Coliseum he had once been so fascinated with. He pressed his entire body to hers as she wrapped her arms around around to reach his shoulder blades. She dug her nails into his coat and he bucked his hips gently into her stomach, aware of the wound she had sustained. Although his was soft with his manipulations, she could still felt the raging heat on her stomach originating from the hard bulge from Walter's trousers. She licked her lips just in time for Walter to take them onto his again. Her head was becoming foggy as he ate her from the inside out with just kisses. She was infused with him, his scent, and she could feel exact contact of their bodies separated only by scratchy clothing that she was sure they didn't need any longer. The man's hair, of which he styled in a half pony tail, tickled her jaw as he pried her mouth open with his hot tongue, swirling their appendages together in a dance. She moaned into his tactful administrations, knowing that whatever restraints he wound around himself, whatever he kept tied tight, was loosening. Was completely free.

"Walter," she groaned into his mouth, "Please, _now_."

"Whatever my Mistress desires shall be hers," he moved to breathe into the shell of her ear. She yelped and clung to him tightly, wrinkling their clothes. Before the butler swept his love away, he paused to place a gloved hand on top of her left breast. It wasn't meant to be a sexual caress, for he pressed lightly upon the spot where she once kept a farewell note hidden away in a sewn up pocket. They watched each other in a foggy stare, both knowing what could have been, and what will only come to pass years from then. Until they departed from old age, they promised with their kisses and touches that they would never separate again. That one stare was as powerful as physical intimacy, and they broke their self endured spell only when they heard the far away echoes of a couple talking. Arthur and Oliver, mayhap.

Walter wanted to scoop Lorelei up into his arms, but his injury proved to be hindering. Instead, they clasped hands, walking as close together as they could, craving everything the other had to gift. There was still a foot mark on Walter's chamber door from the last time they visited, and the butler chuckled to himself at how far away and yet so close that moment seemed. He was eager to use this spry younger shade of himself to its fullest potential. They shut the door and locked it, hoping that Arthur and Oliver wouldn't have any need of them for the rest of this long night.

"I've been patient. Oh god, have I been patient." Walter slid his hands over to Lorelei's overcoat and tugged the article of clothing off, exposing her long, slender white arms and the cross of daggers strapped around her torso. He found the buckles and delicately undid each one, letting them plummet to the floor with a metal clatter. Now she was only in her black tank top, tight black trousers, and black boots. She hurriedly shoved her boots off with her heels and pulled her tank top off revealing that she had not been wearing a bra. Walter licked his dry lips, admiring the ivory mounds pointed with a rose nub tip. She blushed, making the freckles along her nose pop out in fervor. While she worked on her trousers, the butler unbuttoned his vest, carefully folding the item and draping it over the back rest of a chair with his undershirt soon following. Again, Lorelei was in wonder of her butler's well toned, wiry body. How he was just the right amount of lithe, willowy structure combined with well defined muscles. Her crotch began to twinge with need, and she bit the inside of her cheek. This strip tease was starting to become torturous. Almost as if a wire snapped, Lorelei released a guttural moan and pounced on the butler before he could remove his trousers.

"Don't forget, _butler_ , that I've been a good girl, too. I had to watch everything without the ability to tell you I was there. So I know of all your kinky quirks." Lorelei swung Walter over to the bed where he hit with an amused _oomph_. He straightened himself on the bed so that he properly lay on the comforter, his head at the head rest. Lorelei straddled his narrow hips, almost regretting not letting him finish undressing before unleashing her inner desires.

"Oh? And what are these so called, _quirks_? Please be kind enough to enlighten me." He ground into her and she yelped from how close they were. Walter rested his ungloved hands on her hips and rubbed the inner flesh with his smooth thumbs, thinking that the swirls of golden red hairs near her sex where beautiful. That their beauty matched her perfectly. Lorelei sucked in a breath at Walter's twisted lips. His sultry bedroom eyes. To avoid her mind going blank at just how handsome this butler was and the fact that he was under _her_ , she leaned down to claim his warm mouth once more, gliding her lips down his corded neck, over to his chest where she claimed his left nipple in her teeth and suckled at the puckered flesh. He created the most pleasing sound of approval, low and full of smoke. She shuddered, perhaps more affected by his purrs than he by her careful attention towards his nipple with well placed kisses and nips. Lorelei skimmed her palms over his tight stomach, feeling the light dusting of hairs towards his pants line. His muscles trembled from her explorations, and she grinned into her work at his chest. Her insides were coiled, bound and ready for anything Walter to give to her, and it was time for the yearned for quirk.

"Walter, you've been quite a bad butler," she moaned, hoping that she sounded alluring. And although Walter's reply was a smooth as tequila, his face was still brushed over with a light blush.

"Oh, have I? Will my Mistress punish me, then, lest I become more rambunctious?"

"Do not worry, butler. I have the perfect punishment for your misdeeds." She pushed herself up so that she was again straddling him. "You should prepare yourself." Lorelei scooted her rear over so that she was hovering right above Walter's red face. He smirked, letting his hands abandon Lorelei's hips to instead cup her soft bottom. He let out a sound that was no vocalization made by a man. It was strained and primal as he appraised Lorelei's womanhood swollen and ready for his tongue. Lorelei had meant to dangle herself like some sort of delectable treat to drive the butler insane from want, but she did not expect him to yank her down by the butt cheeks and plunge his tongue straight into her enlarged folds. She yelped, feeling her whole face burn from pleasure. Somehow, he was able to hold her up mostly with his good arm with minimal assistance from his injured appendage, allowing her to focus on the explosions of sensations pounding through her core, veins, and entity.

Lorelei rocked herself into his hungry mouth. He carefully wet each fold, tugging at the center with desperate teeth to suck fully upon the poor, eager flesh. His flaming tongue swirled around the tip down to the base. He lustily let his middle finger enter her, feeling the walls of her sex tighten at his welcome instruction. Lorelei gasped and then with abandon wriggled her hips to gain better access to his reaching fingers. Walter inserted two more long, slender fingers into her while still eating the hot, wet flesh before him. Lorelei grabbed the back of his head, pushing him further into her, almost crushing him in her, needing his contact. He chuckled, increasing the speed in which he sucked and licked, choosing his favorite method of threes. Three pumps and then three licks. One, two, three. One, two, three. Lorelei arched into a fit of delicious pleasure as she came. Walter felt the wonderful spasms greet his fingers and tasted the sweet nectar that poured from her like a tap. He cleaned the extra juices from her with his tongue and caught her, keeping her sitting straight, when she almost collapsed, drunk from their love making.

"Alright, Poppet. I let you have your entertainment," Walter smirked, violet eyes turning silver from under his messy ebony hair, "But now it is my turn to manipulate _your_ quirks." With a swift motion, he flicked his uninjured arm up. Wires wrapped around Lorelei, and she started from their contact. They weren't cutting her, and so she conjectured that they were thicker and meant to hold body weight rather than slice. She was held tightly in place as Walter rolled out from under her dripping bottom. He wriggled his fingers seductively, positioning her in front of him like a fly to the spider.

"What are you going to do, Angel of Death?" She grinned even though she was clearly tied completely to immobility. Her wrists were at her back, legs splayed open, and she was wrapped securely on the bed. How in the world did he manage to do this with the short of amount of time he was given? She would have to ask later.

"I am going to test a theory." He gingerly took her right foot in his large hands and messaged the arch. Lorelei's heart drummed hard in her chest.

"W-W-What are you d-doing?" She asked in a clearly aroused voice.

"Ah. I knew it." He pressed deeper into her arch, spreading his reach to the top of her foot. "I saw how you admired my feet and assumed you would enjoy a massage," he evilly explained. He bent down to kiss her foot and she shuddered violently from the contact. "That you would _really_ enjoy one," he chortled. Lorelei squirmed as he kissed every inch of skin on her foot and then gave the other the exact same treatment. She was run ragged by the end of the display. The room already acquired the scent of sex and bodily fluids mixed with vanilla, honey, and cigarettes.

"Walter, you are driving me crazy," Lorelei moaned, bucking her hips for emphasis. The butler in question was finished with playing games. They had played games before, but what was to come next was far overdue. He began to unbuckle his trousers, pulling the fabric down and over his pale hips until his member popped up from the quick removal. He was clearly ready. Lorelei lay there, tied up, only allowed to watch as he folded the pants and accurately flung the items to rest with his jacket and shirt on the back of a chair. There was an enlarged vein on his member, visibly pulsating from the blood running down to keep it hungrily erect. A pearly drop of precum had already crowned his head, adding to just how impressive Walter's length truly was. Lorelei gulped, anticipating the moment when they would make due on the climax of their stage play.

"Mistress. Poppet. Lorelei," Walter groaned. He crawled closer to her until her was face to face with her. His length brushed her stomach, and she jerked from the contact. "I have an obligation to ask before I," he pressed himself against her stomach, and her clitoris burned from the flames licking at her insides. She was about to explode if they pent this up any longer. She could see that Walter was of the same opinion. His jaw clenched and his hands grasped the comforter at either side of her head in the blinding need to be inside of her. "If we continue, we will not be able to become vampires. Alucard has given me the choice before, and I would assume that he would do the same with you. If we continue as we are now, we would grow old and die." The implications Walter gave her were clear. There was no going back. Of course, they could become vampires and then have as much sex until it came out of their ears for the rest of their immortal lives, but…

"Walter, I want you now. I'll want you twenty years from now. Thirty. Forty. I want to grow old with you. I want to have your children and raise them with you. We don't need to be vampires for me to love you forever."

"Yes, Mistress," Walter whispered. He bit his lip hard until a pinprick of blood welled at his canine. Walter bent down to kiss Lorelei hard, letting her taste his blood, and he allowed some of his wires to let her hands become free and to hold him close as they kissed passionately. The butler then held Lorelei's hips down, not looking as he positioned his member at her opening and inserted himself into her. He manipulated his wires so that her legs opened wider, letting him gain as much access as he could until he was completely inside of her.

For a moment, their harsh breaths and moans mingled, creating a song of expectations fully realized, until Walter slipped almost out and plunged himself back in. Lorelei could feel his length inside, how she fit around him perfect, and how her lower abdomen expanded just right for his penetrations. Walter maintained their kisses, sometimes lowered his mouth to lick her breasts and nipples and others to bite and suck vehemently at her neck. In and in and in he went, continually delivering indescribable, sweet pleasure that tickled and gnawed at a certain spot in her belly that grew and grew. Lorelei mewled and moaned, calling her butler's name as he growled her in return. In the heat of their need, Walter lifted Lorelei's buttocks into the air, allowing him to reach deeper into her. To grab at that certain spot that would spark her into an explosion. Lorelei came first to be shortly followed by Walter. She was so tight around him, and he large inside of her, just the sensations alone from the other sent them into a secondary orgasm. Walter only pulled himself out, leaving a stringy, sticky mess that he would later launder in the morning, when they had recovered from the rush of carnal sensations a few minutes afterwards.

Without a word, the butler guided his wires to flip Lorelei over onto her stomach. He face flushed and hands again tied, she couldn't move to witness what Walter was attempting to do from the rear. She caught his almost deranged chuckle right before he penetrated into her once more, clearly able to and willing to try for another orgasm for the night. She grit her teeth from the different way his length felt from behind until she grew accustomed and began to like his length plunging into her from behind. He grasped her hips, pulling them into his member with a fervor, ravenous for more. Lorelei had to admit, she enjoyed her tethers as he pounded into her, using his nails to keep her as deep into him as she could. Surprisingly, they came again, the waves of the tremendous sensation wonderful thrumming into their bones. Walter released his wires, freeing his Mistress so that she may lay upon her back once more. There they recovered from their session, both red and flushed. Lorelei could barely feel the injury still throbbing on her stomach, and she surmised that Walter's pain had been blocked as well. They were content in each other.

"I love you, Lorelei. You will always be my Poppet," Walter groaned sexily. He wrapped his uninjured arm around her shoulder and pulled her onto his sweaty chest. Her breasts bulged from their perch, and the glint in Walter's eyes told Lorelei that no, the session was far from over tonight.

"I love you, too, Walter. My personal Angel of Death."

Throughout the rest of the night, they hungrily made as much love as they could as if they could make up for all their lost time in one go. They did not attempt to be quiet, and so even Alucard was well aware the next morning as to why Walter's and Lorelei's skin was covered in bruises all along their necks as they sat at the table for breakfast. The red vampire grinned from his habitual corner, observing the two lovebirds eat much more food than what they usually allowed themselves. Lorelei blushed whenever she caught sight of her handiwork tattooed upon Walter's skin while Walter only grinned territorially at his well made marks. Alucard smirked.

"I am glad I stayed up to see your faces. By those bites there, you two are clearly far worse than vampires."

…

(Quick Author's Note Part Two: My deepest apologies for the different summaries that I have dabbled with for this story. I believe this will be the final attempt at creating an engaging glimpse into what is in store when reading "Tied." Thank you for being my reader.)


	12. Part Twelve: Stolen

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and _sexual relations_. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Omelettes are such a fulfilling meal, not to mention a great source of protein. My speciality would have to be a cream cheese omelette filled with spinach, green peppers, and mushrooms. Side that with a spiced coffee, and the morning is so to say, complete. See you on the flip side.

Part Twelve: Stolen

"So, you're telling me that before Oliver lost her memories, you partook in a good ol' villain versus the good guy monologue and she revealed all of her dastardly plans?" Asked Arthur. The ragtag team was back in their handy golden parlor room. Arthur straddled his usual grand arm chair as he watched Lorelei with a critical stare. She had crossed her arms and was surveying the Hellsing man in turn from the other side of the room. Walter had brought in a silver trolley of hot cinnamon tea and had served both Arthur and Lorelei warm blueberry scones and steaming apple tarts of his own recipe. Lorelei had just gone through her third delectable tart when Arthur asked his query.

"Exactly so," Lorelei sipped from her white teacup and was instantly relaxed from the spread of hot liquid into her belly. "She told me that she actually worked for a man called the Major. He has been plotting for almost twenty years to unleash an army of the undead upon the world with Alucard as his main target. Of course, he still has a ways to go execution wise. It may take him thirty more years to truly see his plot into fruition." Lorelei wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin and took another sip of glorious tea.

"These are the very same ghoul obsessed creeps Walter and I disposed of during the second World War, correct?" Alucard was nonchalantly standing on the ceiling upside down. His hat somehow stayed firm upon the crown of his head, although his hair was another matter as it hung in dark shades about his pronounced cheekbones. As for the rest of his usual attire, it remained firmly in place. How his choice of orientation was rather disturbing, Lorelei could only feel admiration for the vampire master stuck to the ceiling like a bat.

"Yes. A pocket of warriors survived your attack and are even now setting the stage for your annihilation in the far future." She glanced at Walter, who was busy pouring another cup of tea for Arthur from a teapot emblazoned with a blue dragon. Walter used a cloth to dry the spots of tea running down the teapot's spout and replaced the china upon a sterling silver tray. Throughout all of his actions, he had kept a steady eye on her, and he discreetly nodded.

A week ago, they had agreed not to let Arthur know of the possible future and instead let time flow as normally as possible. All except for the tiny problem of the Major's existence and his dastardly manipulations. They could not abide his living on the earth and causing another catastrophic event like the World War 3 they experienced in another timeline. Walter concocted an idea where it was Oliver who fed Lorelei details on her employer when she thought she had at last won. This way, Arthur would remain in the dark for his own good. Alucard, however, was another matter. They were still trying to come to a rational conclusion on whether the vampire master should be aware of their knowledge or not. If the Major made a move unknown to them, they may very will have to inform Alucard so he could at least be on his toes.

"I see. So my fully released form did not exterminate them all." Alucard dropped from the ceiling to land perfectly on his feet without any recoil. His jacket fluttered down around him and then lay flat at his calves. He mumbled something in disgruntled Romanian and then switched back to English. "I should have made a proper sweep, but I did exhaust myself from the effort. And you say that, if this is indeed to same person from years prior, the Major wants an ultimate war and me dead because…?"

"From what Oliver told me, I can only deduce that he wants you dead just because he can. He wants to best you, an immortal, with his own capabilities. If there is utter destruction of innocent lives in the process, well, all the better for this maniac." She shuddered at just recalling the destruction caused by this man's greed.

"We should take care of this threat immediately. Even if you believe that this Major will only strike far into the future, those are lives that could have been saved by my hand. There is no excuse to leave this alone and push the responsibility off to a younger generation," Arthur barked. He tore off a chunk of blueberry scone with his front teeth, chewed twice, and swallowed. He hurriedly gulped down the rest of his tea and set his cup down with a clatter. "Are all of you healed enough to investigate where this man and his cohorts may be hiding?"

"As well as I can be," Lorelei shrugged. Her abdomen had scabbed over nicely with barely any oozing or infected flesh. She was hoping to have another week to make sure the wound wouldn't reopen. Walter, on the other hand, required healing time up to two weeks so he may effectively use his wires in the frenzy of battle once more.

"I'm sure I can wring out some usefulness, sir," Walter smirked at Arthur. He held up his uninjured arm, placed it at his belly, and bowed.

"Are you sure you can manage fighting with your stump for an arm, butler?" Alucard asked, inclining his head at Walter's stiff movements. The butler narrowed his violet eyes at the vampire master, but managed to keep his smirk.

"Alucard, someone has to clean up your mess. It might as well be me."

" _My_ mess? If I recall correctly, you were on the same mission. You missed these ink blots to the human kind as much as I did." Alucard's orange sunglasses glimmered dangerously. Lorelei sighed, hoping that these two wouldn't begin to fight in such a confined space.

"I recall you saying, _I should have made a proper sweep_ , and so I am inclined to believe that you have admitted to your missteps. I am willing to do a kindness in ridding the world of your missed mistakes." Walter's fingers twitched in a telltale sign of tightening wires.

"Do you desire a duel to make for certain that your lame arm still possess the ability for agility, then?" Alucard growled giddily. Were they actually playing around? This was no angry exchange of words. Lorelei smiled inwardly. She hadn't seen Walter so jovial and just plain in good spirits since when she met him as an adult, and he'd been acting quite merry for all this past week.

"As much as I do enjoy your quibbles, I need you three to concentrate." The butler and vampire ceased their squabbling and paid attention to the head of the Hellsing Organization who had stood and began to pace around the perimeter of the parlor room. "Do you have any clue as to where we can start our hunt for the Major? There's an odd squirming of dread in my gut now that you've told me all, Lorelei. I need to know where this man is."

"No, I am unsure as to where he might be in hiding. I'm sorry." Lorelei couldn't begin to guess where the Major and his crew would be holed up now that their trump card had her mind swept. Would they still be using her predictions even after their failed attempt to turn Walter into a traitor, or would they regroup to create new ridiculous plans? "Would the Vatican know of their whereabouts? Oliver also told me that the Vatican initially took some supernatural rebels in and hid them." She was grasping at straws now. It had been nearly twenty years since the members of Millennium fled. There was no certainty that they remained with the ones who took them under their wing.

"I can't ask them personally," Arthur growled. He balled his fists angrily.

"Why? Weren't you able to contact the Pope personally when he lent you the priest to aid us in Ireland?" Lorelei mused.

"I wish it were that simple," Arthur sighed. He pulled a cigar from his breast pocket and stuck the thick stick into the corner of his grim mouth. Arthur located a lighter, flicked the metal lever a few times, and lit his cigar. He pulled in a breath. "I've sealed a treaty with the Pope. Once the priest was concluded with his duties in Ireland, we would have our own territory slated in the United Kingdom now including Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. They would deal only in the Holy Roman Empire's business. Now we have a clear set boundary like we have not been able to manage in the entirety of the birth of the Vatican. If we cross over and interfere with their men, then the treaty is dissolved. Likewise if they step foot in our territory. My father and his father and now ending with myself have strived for such a treaty." The smoke from Arthur's cigar poured from his mouth and swirled to the ceiling where it collected and slowly dissipated.

"Ah, it all comes together now," Walter mused out loud. Maybe he meant the ties in the present or the future, Lorelei understood the butler's conclusive tone. He piled the empty dishes and tea cups onto his trolley, and then replaced his white gloves with the interchangeable black pair. Lorelei watched intently as he covered each finger, forcing down the blush that was about to brew in front of the other two men.

"Back to square one," Lorelei mumbled. She scratched the back of her head, trying to recollect anything else that would be useful. She had hoped that the Vatican would be where to go, but without risking the treaty, her hands were again tied.

"How about we ask Oliver herself?" Alucard pondered. He crossed over to the door and jerked it open. Oliver followed, almost falling over and onto her knees from where she had leaned into the door to listen to the conversation. Her long blonde hair fluttered around her, creating a cap of a luscious halo.

"Ah!" The woman yelped, still managing to sound gorgeous despite plummeting to the floor. Arthur was immediately by her side, grasping her sides to aid in her recovery. Oliver blushed, a complimentary color to her dark skin tone. "I…ah…well, I'm sorry that I was eavesdropping," she ended lamely.

"Oh, are you?" Alucard mused in a far too amused inclination. He tipped his hat down by its brim. "Or are you just sorry that you were caught, woman?" Alucard bared his pointy fangs, stubborn in his determination relay to her the worst initiation into the Hellsing group he could give.

"I'm actually sorry that I didn't learn anything more of my past," Oliver glared at the vampire with her ice blue eyes, adopting the harsh tone she used since before her loss of memories. "I knew you four were talking about things I might have said before to Lorelei when I knew everything of who I was. I suppose it was too much to ask for me to recall anything Lorelei spoke of." Oliver rubbed her arms to warm herself even though she was wearing her favorite combination of a forest green turtle neck and black dress trousers. "Although, the person I used to be isn't someone I want to be now. I really just wanted to come to terms with this Oliver who sought revenge so I can look to my future."

"You have nothing to fret about!' Arthur swung an arm around Oliver's shoulders, obviously a little too forgiving of Oliver's past for certain reasons. "You, my dear, are as resilient as they come. It's been only a week since you became Oliver, but I see that you enjoy this self far more than the other." He indicated her eyes and face. "When I first met you, you had such sad and inconsolable eyes. You frowned consistently. But now? You're filled with light and brightness." Oliver absently touch her cheekbone and smiled.

"I want to be of some help," Oliver announced. Her deep alluring voice softened. "I am unable to leaf back the pages to review the past, nor am I able to peer into my future. However, I can still discern the future of others. If I see a picture of the accused, then I can channel my powers into picking his or her string of fate and reading the intricacies. All I need is that picture or portrait. Preferably in color." She paused to gage the other's reactions. "And, if I am within proximity of the target, then those readings grow in strength and certainty." At the disbelief on a few of her comrades she added, "I've been practicing in my spare time. That's how I know for sure of what I need to reveal the future."

"Alright. Finding a picture of the creep Major won't be too difficult. Don't you have secret Hellsing files for something like this, Arthur?" Lorelei worked her tongue around her molars to root out a grain of sugar from the blueberry scone.

"If only this endeavor was as easy as that." Arthur finished his cigar and reached over to a side table to extinguish the flames in a glass ash tray. He left the butt sticking straight up and absently knocked it over. "I'd have to send you over to London again to regain the documents pertaining to the fragmented Nazi rebellion, Millennium as you call them. Once Alucard and Walter thought they completed their mission, I handed over the files to the Queen so that she may do what she wanted with them. Lock them up. Erase them. I am unsure." He sighed, paling more than what should be possible with his coloration. "If only we had some sort of system where we were able to share information over vast distances without mailing physical copies of the material or driving it over."

Walter glanced over at Lorelei who blinked at him. Poor Arthur passed away right before the Internet blew up with popularity. Or at least, he passed away in that time line. Now that they knew of the man's demise, they could protect him in this new time with all of their skills combined. Still, Arthur was correct. The lack of the Internet would be a sorely missed convenience now that both Walter and Lorelei had been growing accustomed to the ease the service provided.

"Could you ask Sir Hugh Irons of the Round Table? Isn't he still stationed at the palace?" Walter pondered out loud. He was searching his pockets for something that he couldn't quite locate. Lorelei inclined her brow and he mouthed to her _I can't seem to find my monocle_. Lorelei suppressed a giddy giggle and subtly motioned to his shoulder to where he had draped the chain and spectacle over his collar. He started when he found the item and replaced it upon the bridge of his nose. A small spot of blush lined his cheeks. Lorelei mouthed back to him, _your old man is showing, Walter_. He clicked his tongue and regained his focus upon Arthur, who had luckily missed all of the said display. He was busy appreciating Oliver finger comb her hair to tame the loose strands that had escaped during her fall.

"That may be a possibility. The brat does owe me. He said I wouldn't be able to handle the lycanthrope situation on my own and tried to pawn off his mercenaries. Like I would need any of those morons. We made a bet that I would be horribly crushed in Ireland and I have yet to collect on his foolish debt." Arthur chuckled at the prospect of bragging to his friend and saying, _I told you so_. "Then it's settled. I'll send Lorelei to London to collect on the information Sir Irons will provide."

"May I go, too?" Oliver asked. She worked a pout, which seemed to work because Arthur answered immediately.

"Why so?" Arthur mused.

"I want to discover the Major as soon as possible. I don't understand why, but I'm feeling very uneasy about leaving him alone to attend to his own devices. Something is tickling my head. Perhaps he had a failsafe plan for just this situation. As if he might have had a safety net if I were to disappear." The room went quiet as Oliver relayed the same feelings Arthur had just confessed a few minutes prior.

"I wouldn't put it past him. From what you were speaking of before you lost your memories, he seemed like the type of man to have back up plans lined up from A to Z," Lorelei agreed. She really didn't like the idea of the Major out there making unknown chaos that did not line up to her knowledge of what may occur.

"If that is the case, I would like to propose that Alucard and myself accompany the women to London," Walter interjected. Arthur nodded, eyes closed in contemplation.

"Yes. Well then, I'll come with you as well. I'll instruct the guards to hold down the fort, so to speak, until we get back to the manor. Until then, if we are destined to go on an outing, we may as well play the part." Arthur turned his attention on Lorelei, who immediately straightened as if she were called upon in class to answer a strenuous question. It was Walter's turn to hide his laughter at Lorelei's expense.

"W-what do you mean?" Lorelei spluttered.

"I mean, we might as well take you dress shopping. I know you settled on a style for your fake wedding attire, but we can't very well order something without trying it on." Arthur's face was pinched in amusement from how Lorelei's jaw dropped. "Now, Miss Richford, I cannot convince any of my enemies about our marriage if you can't go all out in the matter."

"I still have to wear a dress," she deadpanned.

"Act as if this were the dress that you would wear on your actual wedding, my dear," Arthur smiled deviously. It was then that Alucard chose his moment to interrupt the moment.

"Are you all done yet? Lord, your conversation bores me." The vampire master glared at Arthur. "You are truly sending me to London to lounge at a shopping excursion?" When Arthur nodded, Alucard sighed and massaged his brow. "You better hope that we find the Major right then and there to give me a reason for being out in the first place. I'm a vampire, not a goddamned bridesmaid."

…

"I understand that we cannot be intimate for others to witness in order to convince Arthur's enemies that you are going to marry my master, but that does not mean that I have to enjoy not being able to hold your hand whenever I want."

Lorelei and Walter were in her hotel suite, and as far as Lorelei was concerned, it sure was nice not to play the spy and hide in a hovel like the last time they stayed in London. The Langham Hotel was fifty tiers above the stinky and grimy boarding house they had the unpleasant association with a few months ago. Now, aside from an actual bathroom, whirlpool tub, an actual large screen television set (with color!), a scenic window view, and room service, even Walter had his own sort of butler assigned to him for the stay. Ignoring the fact that Arthur forced Alucard to leave his beloved coffin at the manor, everyone was delighted at the turnout. Even the mission was simple: Wait until Sir Hugh Irons was able to produce the information that they needed, and until he emerged from the palace unscathed, they were to wait in the lap of luxury. Lorelei never had so many delicious foods presented to her at the ring of a phone even when her father was still living. The whole experience was titivating to say the least.

The only drawback to the sweet life were Arthur's conditions. Walter and Lorelei had to appear as if they were just a butler and his soon to be Mistress. That meant Walter walking behind Lorelei, Arthur, and Oliver like a proper butler, no touching of any sort in public, and the proper vocabulary exchanged between both parties. To say those words pertaining to those limitations out loud, one would believe such an act would be a walk through the park. _It was not_. Every second spent not holding, touching, or even speaking with her butler was an endless torture. Lorelei almost succumbed at least twice, wanting to break off the silly arrangement with Arthur. Yet, Walter reminded her that she could not go back on her word, especially if they meant to protect Arthur to the best of their abilities, although the butler did admit that he almost lost his cool as well.

"I know. Same here," Lorelei moped. She leaned back into Walter's bare chest, snuggling closer to his warmth and the steady beating of his heart. They were both completely naked submerged in an overly large whirlpool tub. The water was at the perfect temperature where their muscles relaxed from the mere contact of dipping their bodies in the wonderful liquid. Lorelei found a bottle of bubble soap, and so tiny white suds surrounded the couple in a pleasant orchestra of popping bubbles. Arthur and Oliver were out enjoying the library and collecting books while Alucard was busy up to something, or at least they thought he was. Right now, they were free to be alone and away from prying eyes, and so they chose to be as close as they possibly could.

"What happens if we kill the Major and his minions? Where do we go from there? Are we sure we want to change all of the history that we are aware of?" Lorelei chewed on her bottom lip. How in the world had this whole situation turned into some sort of time loop dilemma where the snowball effect was glaring down like a rabid monster? Walter wrapped his arms around her middle, and she positioned herself on his lap so that his length lay perfectly between her legs. She felt his soft groan from behind and couldn't help be congratulate herself.

"I admit, I myself am unaware of the repercussions of eliminating the Major. We aren't sure what he was up to while I was not in contact with him. Perhaps he somehow aided a person who would then invent a machine prevalent to mankind's survival. Or rap music will no longer have a chance at becoming a popular genre. I believe that we cannot trouble ourselves with the what if's. The Major must be stopped for the lives he is willing to blot from this earth. We know this from the war he created in my timeline, and in knowing, I refuse to be dormant. Not this time, and never again." He kissed Lorelei's neck, causing water to slosh around the tub from her protests. They settled down, skin now rosy, and nestled into one another.

"I'm glad we are of the same opinion. I only needed you to say out loud what I've been thinking." She turned around in the steamy air and faced her butler.

"Now that we have that settled, shall I assist in your cleanliness, Mistress?" Walter held up a sponge lathered in vanilla soap, smirking crookedly when Lorelei let out a nervous laugh. Without a confirmation or denial, Walter tenderly began to clean Lorelei from head to toe in soft, ticklish strokes. Lorelei couldn't contain her gasps of pleasure from something as simple as someone else scrubbing her until she shone. There was no patch of skin left alone, and so when Walter eventually ended up at the throbbing mound between her legs, the feather-like contact of the sponge made Lorelei convulse. She flung forward to shakily grab Walter's shoulders in a death grip as he chuckled and continued cleaning her. Prickles of heat traveled up and down her arms to settle into the base of her navel, swelling in pulsating torture. Without warning, her body smashed into the solid wall of muscle and sinew in front of her. She moaned when Walter removed the sponge to instead let his length become cradled between her legs.

"I should rinse my Poppet off," Walter groaned into the shell of her ear. She shuddered and couldn't help but bite the butler's collarbone. He shuddered from the harsh contact and ground his hips into hers, creating a delicious underwater friction. The butler made do on his promise and scooped warm water from the tub into his hands, pouring the clear and bubbly liquid over the patches of soap he created on Lorelei's body. She mewled at his sensuous actions, knowing that reaching down and inserting him into her within the bath water would not be the best of ideas, but yearning to do so otherwise.

"Walter, I'm clean as I can get, but I have a feeling I'm just going to get dirty again, aren't I," she sweetly cooed.

"Oh, I intend to get you so filthy that we shall require yet another bath," Walter promised, still smelling of clover and honey despite the strong aroma of vanilla bubbles. With that, Walter easily lifted her with his uninjured arm and took her out from the steamy bath. Lorelei barely had enough time to feel the sharp snap of the cold air. In fact, there wasn't enough time to clamber over to the tile wall and take hold of the hand towels for support when Walter entered her from behind. The now familiar push of his member into her sex was exhilarating, and she bucked backwards to take as much of him in as she could. They were facing the ceiling to floor bathroom mirror, and she could gaze upon their forms as they got down and dirty. Really dirty. Her own features were severely red, her face a bundle of concentration. Freckles nearly encompassed by her pink flesh. Walter followed her line of direction and saw the mirror. He smirked and increased his pace, his gravelly breathes of pleasure brushing her shoulder as he did so.

"Do you like watching me make love to you?" Walter punctuated his seductive question with a particularly hefty thrust. Lorelei moaned and could only nod. She saw his large and handsome hands grasp her hips, pulling them to him in his fervor. To make things worse, he was watching her watching him. His face was a shade of unspoken need intently focused upon what she desired. Walter's ebony hair, completely down, clung to his and Lorelei's sweaty skin, bringing out the rosy hue in Walter's face. His eyes were brilliant as he plunged into her over and over, creating a wonderful sensation of a star bursting through the night sky, escaping the atmosphere, transcending existence. She came then, her body grasping at Walter in a desperate flailing need to be close to him in her time of intoxication. He was next, clinging to her in a grip so hungry that she thought she'd be devoured by the end of the night. They knelt, their motion captured in the large mirror before them. It revealed a scene of love and more to come.

Lorelei was correct in assuming that they would need another bath before they made an appearance in any place public. This time time they managed to keep their hands to themselves, relatively speaking, and dress in accordance to how a Mistress and her butler would dress. Lorelei chose a wardrobe that most wouldn't have recognized her in; a brown sundress with brown flats and sunglasses. Although fall was coming to its fruition, the day was still quite uncommonly warm, and Lorelei wanted to feel dressed up for once. The shade of brown she chose complimented her strawberry red hair and light freckles. Walter ended with the attire he wore as an older gentleman; a white button down shirt, purple vest, gray trousers, white gloves, and his favorite pair of spectacles. The splash of color on his younger form did wonders to bring out his violet-silver eyes and pearly white smile. The day had dwindled closer to twilight, and so they had turned on all of the floor lights.

"I thought you two would never get ready," came an annoyed remark from the corner. Walter and Lorelei turned to find Alucard in an armchair in his natural pose of hands over his knee. He was dressed in a smart black suit accented with a green tie and gloves. Although Lorelei wouldn't have thought green would have agreed with Alucard's palate, she had to admit that she was wrong. He was very dashing and also very, very bored.

"When did you get here?" Walter hissed.

"Calm down, Angel of Death. I came to warn you love birds about Arthur. He and his lady friend are coming over here as we speak. Just thought you frothing sex vampires would want a hint." He twiddled his fingers at the door for the impending doom he thought was dire enough to tell his friends. The master vampire was as cocky as ever, and he knew it.

"Thank you, but that really doesn't answer Walter's question," Lorelei sighed, placing a palm against her forehead. Alucard didn't dain to answer. A hardy knock graced the suite's door, and Walter cleared his throat. He crossed over, opening the door whilst bowing to welcome the guests inside of the room. Arthur, dressed in a tan suit, and Oliver, garbed in her usual forest green turtleneck and black trousers, swept inside. The butler glared at Alucard secretly as if to say that this wasn't over yet, and that Walter did not intend to let the incident go.

"Good evening, friends!" Arthur spread his arms open wide as if he wanted to embrace each and every one of his team. Lorelei didn't fail to notice his quick scan of the area and the slight nod of approval with the company of Alucard and Walter. Goodness, Arthur was being a stickler about the whole _do what you want only within the manor walls_ business. She secretly thanked Alucard for his forethought. She saw Walter reluctantly come to the same conclusion. He squinted his eyes ever so slightly. He usually did that whenever he came to a sudden realization, and when he grew older, the habit only increased. It was so cute to see the older Walter's actions transcribed over his younger body, like when he had forgotten where he left his monocle. Lorelei had accidentally driven herself into a lustful fury that she had to be careful to unleash against her butler once Arthur, Oliver, and Alucard shoved off.

"Hello, Arthur. I'm guessing you are here to give us the agenda for the night?" Lorelei ventured.

"Indeed! I know it's six right now and that most shops would be closed, but I would like to go in search of your fake wedding attire." Arthur scratched his head sheepishly. "Hugh told me that the week has been rough, but he was able to extract the pictures that we are in need of. I told him that we can meet tonight at _Les Trois Soeurs Bridal_. I figured that we might as well kill two birds with one stone, eh?"

"Sounds reasonable enough," Lorelei sighed. She really had no interest in preparing for a fake wedding, but she did promise Arthur on keeping up appearances. Who knows. Maybe she would find a dress that truly did capture all of her hidden desires on wedding bliss.

"May I skip? I don't think I can stomach anymore mundane inactivity," Alucard growled from his chair. That all knowing smirk disappeared almost as if it had been knocked off by a punch to the gut.

"You can tail us, Alucard. This meeting should be relatively safe, but we shouldn't make any mistakes when it comes to this man Lorelei spoke of, nor can we be too careful with whoever is targeting me through my fiancée." Arthur cracked his knuckles impatiently. "I shudder to think of the Major escaping our grasp and unleashing whatever terror he plans upon London." Arthur really did shudder, but only because the open window let in a cool draft.

"Well said, sir," Walter quipped. "Shall we be on our way? I'll drive us tonight, if you don't mind." The butler bowed at the door once more, waiting until each person exited the suite until he locked the room behind him and followed his Master and Mistress through elegant corridors lit in grand candelabras encased in gold and diamond dust. The bell hops wished their patrons a good evening as they exited the wonderful hotel. They drove a vehicle that was not the Master's precious Ferrari that he recently transitioned from _rented_ to _bought_ , but was a reliable car nonetheless. After a half hour of polite road rage, Walter was able to locate a parking spot next to the luxurious wedding shop. As predicted, Alucard melted into the faces behind them, ready to scout out any danger that may be coming their way while Lorelei chose what type of silk would compliment her eyes.

"There's too many people," Oliver muttered, eyeing all of the multiple figures swarming in a crowd around them. The shopping square was busy despite the late hour. "I believe there was a time where I could control my gift, but I must have forgotten that as well. Whenever I see or touch another human, I get multiple flashes of their future, and there's just so many beings walking around here that I find it difficult to just walk." Oliver shook, holding her hands tight like a small squirrel surrounded by ferocious beasts.

"You may hold onto my arm if you are unsteady," Arthur offered to the woman. She blushed slightly and took him up on his proffering, grasping the crook of his elbow. "Ah, Lorelei. I shall need you to be on the other side, if you can. Need to keep up the act, eh?"

"Sure. Act," Lorelei said dryly, and yet she took Arthur's other arm in good faith. Walter walked in pace at her other side, and for the most part, they all seemed like a group of happy friends patrolling the walkway. A cool draft curled around Lorelei's ankles, and she wished that it was Walter's arm she was cuddling tight for warmth instead of Arthur's. Why did she have to wear a blasted sundress? At least she had her four inch knife belted to her thigh and hidden out of view to make her feel relatively in charge. She had to leave her favorite sword at her suite, and the absence of the weapon made her anxious. One never would knew who might be lurking around the corner.

"Here were are," Arthur whistled. There was the wedding shop, a shining example of a product enchanted by wealth. He let Walter pass the group so that the butler may open the door for his Master and Mistress. They walked into the shop as Alucard found something interesting to occupy himself with.

The vampire master let the humans do their little shopping spree, annoyed at having been dragged around for the past three months for insane projects such as espionage and babysitting. He melted into the shade provided by one particularly impressive building, picking apart the details of every citizen that breezed by him, unaware of his presence. The vampire master spotted the stiff Hugh Irons approaching _Les Trois Soeurs Bridal._ The man always wore a mask of serious determination on his milky face beset with cold, flashing eyes. He was garbed in a simple gray suit set and carried a briefcase of what Alucard interpreted to hold the secret files on the Nazi group, Millennium.

Alucard swept the area with his senses. There were groups of people clustered everywhere, clawing at existence with their monotonous mortal lives, a life that he himself missed living dearly. The human cloisters proved to be no immediate threat, and Alucard relaxed. He fingered the gun Walter had recently crafted for him. The butler had melted down another holy cross for the bullets, switching from lycanthrope ammunition to the familiar vampire extermination kit. Alucard felt slightly comforted at slipping back into his routine of scouting out lower vampire scum who were only good for target practice. Still, he desired for that one opponent who could finally best him, taking him out in a wind of glory.

But wait. Something had just altered the static atmosphere. It was faint, true, but it was also certainly not a bleeding human. Alucard perked up, unsheathing his gun that would blow a mere human into bits of sinew. He breathed in, scenting the air like some sort of large animal of prey. Yes, there was definitely something here. He quickly checked to see if Sir Irons had entered the shop and to safety. The rigid man had just let the door clang behind him. Good. It was high time for Alucard to get back into the business of killing. The vampire master left the solitude provided to him by the shadows and deliberately displayed himself out on the crowded walkways. No sooner did he take a step onto the red brick did a blast shake the buildings next to him. His face split from the grin seemingly sewn into his features. Now this was something he could get behind! A woman's shrill call pinpointed where the blast came from.

"Alucard!" She shrieked.

Meanwhile, Lorelei had just placed her hand upon the lacy silk of a particular dress that caught her attention. It was a sea foam green, just like she told Walter so long ago she desired, but the neckline was set in a deep scooping u. She smirked, imagining herself walking down the aisle to meet Walter as the groom. This dress would have been perfect for such an event, with its half foot long train and glossy pearls sewn as belt at the hip. She sighed and turned to tell Arthur that she would like to be fitted into this dress. When she found the head of the Hellsing Organization, she was surprised to find that there was another man.

"Sir Hugh Irons! What a pleasure to finally meet you face to face," she called out to the serious man. His head popped up from the briefcase he was shuffling around in. He allowed her tiny, polite smile.

"You must be the famous Lorelei Richford this fool is always blathering on and on about. The pleasure is mine. I wish to shake your hand, but I am currently locating some files. Please forgive me." He motioned to his fumbling hands, and she laughed, telling him he was alright. From her adventure in Walter's mind as he grew older, she felt as if she knew Hugh Irons from a vast and intriguing dream. Meeting him in the flesh was like being in close proximity to a celebrity. She must remember not to act to casual around him. For all intents and purposes, they had just met.

"So you were able to get the pictures of all of them?" Arthur slapped Irons on the back, and the pinched faced man coughed from the smack. He glared at Arthur, pulling the glossy papers out, and slamming the briefcase closed at the small table provided for the men folk to sit at when the women went searching for a dress.

"Not all of them. I was able to extract these four and nothing more. Perhaps only using these will able to link you to the man you truly want," he replied evenly.

"The Major isn't in any of these," Arthur mumbled out loud while flipping through the pages. "But you're right. Oliver might be able to catch a glimpse of him in her future visions. All she needs is a face, after all. Thank you so much, Hugh. Now about that bet we crafted…" Arthur passed the pictures to Oliver who took them with both hands. She was hip to hip with Arthur, probably so close that they were sharing each other's body heat in this too cool apparel shop thanks to the ever running floor fans.

Lorelei felt a chill and blinked, taking note of Walter's silent form in the corner of the shop. He, too, was feeling off. There was something that just wasn't quite right that Arthur and Irons were clearly unable to feel. Walter sidled up behind Lorelei and with a calculated movement, passed her a gun he had fashioned for her in just these types of emergencies. She slipped the cold metal into her hand, hiding the object behind her back. Oliver flipped through the pages in her shaking hands, her ice blue eyes growing far too wide. She gasped, placing a trembling hand on Arthur's shoulder and holding out a specific photograph.

"Arthur! This one here, this Rip Van Winkle. She's here. She's here _right now_." Oliver bit her lip, eyes becoming pale and withdrawn. She then bent over to Arthur's ear to whisper something urgent. Lorelei couldn't hear what the terrified Oliver spoke of.

A tremendous explosion rocked the floor beneath their feet. Patrons inside of the shop squealed, women flinging themselves on each other or on their soon to be grooms. Screams cut through the muggy air, and Lorelei marched over to Oliver, Arthur, and Irons. The two men had their pistols out, and Oliver had somehow hijacked a five inch knife of which she was brandishing at an unseen enemy. Walter turned to the crowd to instruct them to stay inside at all costs and to keep to the back of the shop. Walter's smooth and sensuous instructions calmed the women who nodded shakily and stumbled back.

"Walter," Lorelei hissed between her teeth, "Rip Van Winkle. She was used as a decoy last time. Do you think she's being used again?"

"It's very likely so. She wasn't much of a success at her full strength, and probably isn't much to worry about at this stage, but she does have the great ability of distraction. If that is so, I can only assume that she is meant to draw out Alucard once again. Perhaps even you and myself. At least the Major sticks to a general mode of action."

"Except there's one thing the Major doesn't know. We know what he had planned in your timeline. We know what missions his pawns were used for. As such, we won't fall easily to his whims."

"You are correct. If he wants us out there, then," Walter narrowed his eyes. "Then the real threat is on the inside." The butler steadied himself as another catastrophic explosion thundered outside, setting off more wails from the dress shop's patrons. He ground his teeth, trying to scan the people at the back. They were all scared innocents. The butler whipped back around, suddenly realizing who was at risk in this plot.

A telephone booth flew from its post, flying past Alucard as he located the strange woman in the middle of the street. She was extraordinarily tall with extremely long black hair bunched into twin braids set at either side of her face. The woman had more freckles on her nose and cheeks than Lorelei, making her mix of black hair and complexion an endearing oddity. She lifted her overly large silver musket and shot at another telephone booth, letting the object fly in a zig zag pattern into a building, crushing two citizens in the meantime. The woman propped the musket onto her shoulder and brushed away chips of concrete from her button down olive green dress shirt and red neck tie. She progressed forwards in green army boots, perfectly complimenting the tight black pants they were worn over.

"Alucard! The last time I saw you, you were but a girl!" This woman melodically taunted. She stuck out her tongue in concentration and lifted the musket once more.

"Ah, I remember now. You were but a a strip of a girl then. What was it, around twenty? But my, you haven't aged a day!" Alucard brought out his guns with glee. Maybe she would be the challenge he yearned for.

"I may not be the strip of a girl you remember, Alucard!" She growled, shooting her silver musket bullet, controlling the shell in odd circular directions until it shot straight into Alucard's abdomen. He flew back from the momentum, hitting a coffee shop table and dropping his guns. An umbrella and glass chairs clattered on top of him along with steaming coffee and tea, and yet he smiled with joy. She did not let him have the time to get to his feet. The woman unloaded five more bullets with a similar ability to manipulate the direction of her bullets, sending him further into the ground and creating a crater of impact. Blood sprayed from the master vampire's body painting the sides of the coffee shop in dark red. A few patrons were splattered with Alucard's blood, and one man fainted from merely the sight on his sleeve.

"I've been preparing myself, Alucard! Although my opera has come to a stillborn conclusion, I shall play my role as elegantly as I can!" The woman hurriedly reloaded her musket, her black gloved hands shaking from the adrenaline. "Even so, I still don't want to be put down by someone like you!" She shot one, two, three more times. Alucard lost his right arm and leg along with a majority of his innards. They hung to the surrounding area like spongy confetti. Again, she reloaded and emptied the barrel of her gun into Alucard. She heaved, setting the heavy musket down to prop herself up. Sweat trickled from her forehead and she wiped the salty moisture off with a handkerchief. The music of citizens fleeing clouded her hearing.

"Girl, what is your name?" The woman started, wearily heaving the gun back up to aim at the bloodied hole in the walkway. Even her freckles paled at the sound of the master vampire's voice, still alive.

"M-My name is Rip Van Winkle, pig!"

"You've done well, Miss Van Winkle," came the thundering baritone from the hole. Was she hearing clapping? Rip Van Winkle shuddered and decided not to take any more chances. The vampire woman shot into the hole until the barrel was empty, and now she was completely out of bullets. She gulped, watching the smoke clear from where she decimated the vampire master.

"You're dead now, right?" She walked over to the blood smear, peering over the hole. It was just a puddle of bone, guts, and hair. Her stomach churned not from the sight, but by the possibility that she may not die after all. That she might have just killed the threat the entirety of Millennium had staked their lives for.

"Behind you."

Rip Van Winkle screamed, turning around to only be punched straight in the face. Her front two teeth fell out of her mouth as she spun around in circles from the momentum of Alucard's punch. She made impact with a post office, crashing into the glass window and into a set of boxes. Shards of glass pierced her lungs and blood gushed from the corners of her mouth. Tears sprung to her bleary eyes.

"I get it now. You must be one of the Major's flunkies. A flunkie that ruined my new suit. What, does green not capture my natural handsome beauty?" Alucard flexed his fingers, garbed in his black attire complete with belts and loops. Half of his face was reforming and as such was only a skull with pointy teeth. He had yet to regrow his arm, but his leg was past the point of a stub. Alucard sneered. "He was a fool to throw a newborn like yourself into a battle with me." The vampire master clambered over to where Rip Van Winkle still lay immobilized. Humans scattered away, screaming at the top of their lungs whilst waving their puny arms. Alucard dismissed them, his eyes set only for the vampire woman gasping for breath as her lungs bled.

"Young or old, I guess being killed by your hand was always meant to be," she spluttered. Flecks of spit mixed with blood and vomit dribbled from her lips. She didn't bother to clean it off. Alucard stood right above her now, leering down like one would an earwig. He bent down to grasp the woman by her throat. She choked, pawing at his too strong hand. Alucard slammed her down to the concrete flooring. One. Two. She spasmed from the crushing impact, foam spraying from her. Before he could complete a third brutal blow, he paused. Rip Van Winkle was already unconscious, in his hand like a limp baby blanket. He sighed, frustrated that she wasn't worth lifting his finger.

"You are a lucky one. I have no orders to kill scum like you. Not yet, at least."

Lorelei saw the battle outside briefly from the window. She cursed, but remained focused on Walter who had turned to dash over to Oliver.

"Keep Oliver safe!" Walter yelled. Arthur and Irons flanked each side of the bewildered Oliver, neither pausing from receiving orders from the butler. Lorelei secured the entrance of the shop, lifting her gun to ready herself. All was silent except for the shots fired from beyond the doors. That was until the wall of the shop blew into chunks, the pieces sent forward to collide with a good deal of the citizens huddled in the back. Walter sent out his wires from one hand with the aid of his teeth in a protective web, saving the rest of the frightened creatures. From the wall's opening came a figure. He was too fast as he snatched Oliver right from Arthur and Iron's protective huddle. Walter had been busy with saving the bridal shop's patrons and was unable to react straight away. Lorelei attempted to shoot the figure before he made contact with Oliver, but any more shots now could result in Oliver's untimely demise. The woman in question kicked and bucked, managing to collide an elbow with the man keeping her hostage. The sweet sound of broken cartilage was lovely to hear, but the satisfaction did not last long.

"Pardon me, Hellsing Organization, but you have something that belongs to us. If you would kindly put your tails between your legs and scamper off, I shall be on my way," said the man holding Oliver in a death grip. Luke Valentine.


	13. Part Thirteen: Altered

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and _sexual relations_. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Tonight was unusually cold. How about a cup of hot blackberry white mocha? I shall use some coco and raspberries as a garnish. There should at least be peppermint chocolate crisps as a snack, shouldn't there? See you on the flip side.

Part Thirteen: Altered

"Oliver!" Arthur snapped, his features had transformed into something almost bestial in his naked fury. Golden eyes pits of Prometheus's fire and a savage face that of Romulus and Remus. Lorelei had only heard Arthur use this particular deadly tone once and that was when he had fought with Alucard, yet this outcry was more desperate. Pleading. Dangerously determined. He shakily rose to his feet, revealing the shining metal jacket clasped within his trembling white hands.

"It would be within your best interest to leave this be, Hellsing Head. Your pet vampire is currently occupied, which leaves you stuck with those second rate fighters with tails between their legs," the impeccably dressed vampire sneered showing perfectly straight white fangs. His voice was as intoxicating as sweet cream and yet Lorelei had the urge to punch the vampire in his arrogant face.

Luke Valentine wore his pale blond hair up to his ears in this decade, opting to adorn himself with just a black dress shirt and gray trousers. It would appear that the spectacles would be worn later down the road. The vampire seemed naked without that ridiculous bow at the end of his now nonexistent long hair. He still bore his inane smirk, believing his powers were beyond even Alucard's despite how young his own abilities were compared to the master vampire's. Younger still, now. Lorelei thought that the Major was crazy to think of even sacrificing these morons in his plans. They were still too raw. Too young. And without Oliver's premonitions to make valid his next move, he was risking good soldiers if he did not let them age. Lorelei bit her lip, following her line of logic. That was it. The Major needed Oliver more than Luke or Rip Van Winkle. He could always find willing players, but it was not every day one could obtain powers like Oliver's.

"Arthur, he's right. You need to back down for now," Oliver growled from within Luke's manhandling. Lorelei gripped her gun, turning a shade of green as she realized what had to be done. Icy prickles stabbed at her shoulder blades from the palpable desire to prevent this horrid event, and she gathered her ragged voice.

"We have to let her go, Arthur," Lorelei called to her friend. He did not give her the courtesy of meeting her eyes. He knew as well that the Major would not hurt Oliver, and with Lorelei allotted with only one flimsy gun, Walter still injured, and Alucard preoccupied with Rip Van Winkle, there was nothing the group could do to attempt to stop the elder Valentine sibling. As much as Lorelei was loathe to agree with anything Luke said, he was right in this matter alone. They couldn't stop him. The vampire chuckled, most likely gleaning the defeat from his opponent's sour expressions.

"Good. Though, I thought I would have to exert myself at least a little," he sighed, shaking his short light yellow hair. He squeezed Oliver tighter to his chest, rumpling his perfectly pressed dress attire. " If we are finished here, then I shall leave everything to you, Jan." The sleek vampire turned around with his quarry caught in his grip. She squirmed, managing to break momentarily free and slipped her knife between the vampire's ribs. He yelled out in his deep, smooth baritone, more surprised from the attack than from any actual pain. Oliver turned and desperately mouthed something to Lorelei. She took a moment to translate what Oliver wanted from her lips, and then inclined her head. Message received. Confident, Oliver was compliant when Luke back handed her, catching her limp body from the air. "You have cost us much, you damn woman," he grumbled. "Jan, make a mess of them."

"Don't worry big bro, I won't let these dumbasses follow you and our Sleeping Beauty, there." Another vampire emerged from the bridal shop's damaged wall amidst the clearing smoke and debris. He had nothing in common with his brother, Luke, aside from their inclination towards raw violence. There was a devilish smirk glued onto his face, bulging with a golden eyed sneer. His skin was as dark as coffee, and he was all limb and contortion. This one was Jan, the man who infiltrated the young Integra's mansion and decimated her staff. Lorelei recalled how the young woman was forced to blow out the brains of her men herself to compensate for failing them. For letting them become ghouls because of an arrogant vampire's attack. Oh no. He was not one to trifle with. Imagine, what could they group they had now defeat such a foe who wiped out an entire supernatural police force? Before she could let thoughts of losing settle within her skull, Lorelei remembered that Jan could still be killed. It _was_ possible.

"Lorelei, we do not have much time." Walter cracked his knuckles. The butler was right. They could not let Jan cause as much destruction as he did in the future that was no more. Already he had corralled the dead from outside, turning them into ghouls. If Luke and Jan Valentine thought that Lorelei and Walter couldn't handle their little rescue plan, then they were sorely mistaken. Lorelei and Walter knew far more about the brothers than what they would be comfortable with, and just the knowledge alone made Lorelei giddy. "I crafted some bullets for cases such as these. Here, I have three. Make them count, love." Walter thumbed in his pocket and tossed the bullets to Lorelei. She ejected the bullets already inside and replaced the three Walter gave her into the gun's chamber.

"Keep him still for me," she growled. Sweat was already running down the back of her brown sundress, and her feet ached from her choice in foot ware. Walter nodded when Lorelei was ready, swinging his wires into place. Jan tsked, shaking a long finger in the air, and sent his stinking ghouls out to act as a meat shield. The ghouls we in turn cut down to the skin, flesh, and bones. Many became tangled in the wires, rendering most of Walter's weapon useless.

"Nah ah ah, butler man. I have no intention of becoming sliced bread. My master told me about what you can do and what you did way back when during the age of fucking cave men. I ain't having none of that shit!" The younger brother pointed at Walter, sending the decaying, gray ghouls in a chunky mass after the lithe butler. Walter cursed, having no choice other than to release his old wire and redirect new strands to protect himself. Walter's maneuvering was still a difficult task based on the fact that he only had one working hand while the other was held lamely to his stomach. Arthur roared up front and dove into the onslaught of ghouls. He shot at each squarely into their skulls, blowing apart cranium matter, teeth, and rotten flesh. The bridal apparel turned from whites, roses pinks, and ivories to the deep shade of splattered ghoul innards.

"Walter, I have these idiots. You focus on the twat with the bad sense of humor!" Arthur shot two more times into a particularly interested female ghoul with a shock of brown hair headed straight at him in hungry anticipation. Good, Arthur would take out most of Jan's shield.

"Yes, sir!" Walter untangled his web. As he did so, Sir Irons brushed himself off and began to help his friend in disposing of the ghouls. Bodies littered the floor, both ghoul and human. Oliver and Luke were already out of sight and probably too far away to catch up to. Lorelei could see the utter desperation sewn into Arthur's movements. She knew very well how he'd react if anything were to happen to Oliver. She saw his gaunt face as he held the child Integra in his arms, alone and defeated in his search for happiness. Lucky for him, Lorelei knew what to do next.

"W-What the fuck?" Jan squirmed in a jumble of wires, caught like a bug. Without the cover of the army of ghouls, the vampire had been encased in a cocoon of blue threads. He waved his hands only the find that his movement only tightened his restraints. He yelped, cursing at the top of his lungs as he struggled a few seconds more until he drooped. Blood dribbled from the deep cuts the wires created and dripped onto the grimy floor."Well, it wasn't supposed to end up like this. When I joined, I was told I'd be part of something great. Looks like we had some disagreements on what 'great' actually meant." Jan smirked, his pierced eyebrows raised high as if to laugh at his own downfall.

"Where is that man taking Oliver?" Arthur howled, shooting another ghoul and splattering its insides against an expensive lavender brides maid dress.

"Like I'd tell you, you old bag!" Jan laughed in wolfish glee, shaking his whole body with the force. The wires restraining him cut even deeper. Arthur strode over, jaw clenched tight, and punched the vampire, using his entire body as the momentum needed to jolt the vampire to attention. Jan's jaw audibly broke as his blood dripped from his nostrils and coated his teeth.

"You think slugging me would help, eh? Then you're more stupid than I thought," Jan was able to squeeze those words through his broken and limp mouth. Even caught and beaten in a web, the vampire was as cocky as ever.

"Oh, it helps alright. It helps me control my rage just a bit more!" Arthur pulled from his jacket pocket a serrated knife. Irons shot at a ghoul sneaking behind Arthur, who didn't even notice as he slammed the knife into Jan's gut, separating abdomen from chest. Instead of the squeal of pain Lorelei expected, Jan only made sure to aim his phlegmy blood at Arthur's jacket. The spit landed on point, sliding down the jacket to plop on Arthur's shoe, but the Head of the Hellsing Organization did not seem to care.

"Lorelei, I don't think he knows where his cohort is heading to. That means we don't need this maggot to waste our air by breathing it with his contaminated lungs. If you would do us a kindness in ridding us of this waste of space, I would greatly appreciate your efforts," Arthur hummed with barely contained anger. He stepped aside to provide Lorelei with the best shot at Jan's visage still stabbed to the hilt with a knife. The vampire in question puffed up his chest, the movement alone causing a torrent of blood and innards to fall from the open wound on his stomach as the knife plummeted out. The stench of heated dead carcasses stained the air. Jan didn't let the pain control his features as he smirked at Lorelei.

"Go on. I'm dying anyway. My master has failsafes in place that will take care of everything," and although he sounded tough, there was a slight waiver at the end of his speech if one listened hard enough. Just a slight hiccup. This Jan was younger. Less experienced. He might have just become a vampire or he might have been part of the original 1940's crew. It didn't matter. This Jan was not as ready to die as the one from the future.

"You don't give me orders, vampire!" Lorelei shouted, afraid to being shedding pity on this monster. With that, she pulled the trigger, releasing the special bullets that sunk directly into Jan's golden eyes. He laughed from the impact, a haunting churn of screams and giddiness. Lorelei's stomach roiled, but she let one more bullet sing in the air to collide with the vampire's forehead. Blood smeared across his face, making it seem as though his skin were actually the shade of clotted strawberry jam. The vampire jerked, and then blue flames burst from his bones. The heat licked at his skin, turning the sad creature into a pile of black ash. Walter's wires flew lamely in the wind, and with a sigh, he reeled his weapon in. Lorelei gulped, letting her arms fall to her sides, and shuddered. They actually did it.

"We have to go after Oliver," Arthur snapped, interrupting the moment of revelry. He rolled up his wrinkled sleeves. "Oliver and that vampire fellow were heading North was it? Then we have to follow. We have to get her back," the man snarled.

"Sir, with what we have at our disposal now, we will not be able to defeat Luke…the vampire bastard," Walter interjected. There was true worry painted on the butler's visage. He knew how it felt to lose the one thing precious that kept a man alive. He wanted to turn to Lorelei and to just hold onto her shoulders and slight waist. To confirm that she was safe and healthy. Acting upon those impulses would not be fair right then and there, and so he focused on his master. The master who was shaking from fear and worry and a drop of adrenaline.

"I know where they went," Lorelei quipped. All three men faced her, and she straightened her shoulders at their inquisitive perception of her. She cleared her throat, tasting the coppery scent of freshly fallen blood. "She mouthed a location to me. They'll be in Paris, France. Arthur, I don't think that they'll hurt her. They need her. And if she plays her cards right, then maybe she can convince them that she was a mole. That she joined our group to attempt to gain more intelligence from us."

"That doesn't seem likely," Arthur muttered under his breath. "But I do think you're correct in assuming that they will not harm her." He sucked in a lung full of air. His ribs shook from the attempts to contain his bursting terror. At once, a cigar was stuck between his lips, and he lit the item. Calming as the motion was, he was still racked with fear. "Alright," he said, trying to maintain a logical standpoint. "Thanks to you, we know where they are going. I shall send out feelers to Paris to uproot the Major. In the meantime, Walter and yourself can heal and train." Arthur shook his head, clearly not wanting to wait another minute, but being forced to hold his hand. "And where the Hell is Alucard when you need the damn asshole?"

"I would be right here, actually."

The four humans inclined their heads to locate where Alucard's deep baritone was coming from. The vampire master limped into the bridal shop, opening the door that rang the tiny bell on top. The chime was something comical that grated on everyone's nerves. Arthur cracked his knuckles, took out his gun once more, and shot the bell down. It clattered to the ground in a chrome heap. Alucard rose one black eyebrow in amusement.

"What in the world did I miss?"

"Oh, just Oliver being kidnapped and a party with ghouls as the special dinner guests." Arthur saw the bundle in Alucard's arms and sighed. "And what in the world did _I_ miss?"

"This extraordinary vampire girl. She says her name is Rip Van Winkle. With some proper training, she could be useful." Alucard jiggled the female vampire's limp body like one would dangle a grocery bag full of delicious treats.

"It would seem to me that she was the one trying to murder you a few minutes ago," Lorelei observed. She didn't exactly see this woman in Walter's future, but she knew the name Rip Van Winkle. True to their guesses, Lorelei and Walter were accurate on assuming that she would be used as a distraction. Again, she served her purpose well. What Lorelei did not expect was for Alucard to gain an interest in the vampire woman. He didn't seem to have saved her in Walter's future. In fact, he had killed her without abandon.

"There were no orders to destroy anyone tailing your party," Alucard remarked. "She's young and moldable. This Rip Van Winkle was putty in the Major's hands. She could be like that with us," Alucard answered as if he read everyone's worries in one go. Either that or the bald disapproval in Arthur's stature warranted a plausible explanation.

"Excellent. A Pet Vampire's pet vampire," Walter chuckled. He brought his good hand to his mouth to cover a slight laugh. His violet eyes shone in the rapidly decreasing sunset. It was just about to be night time. The regular humans had vacated the area, not desiring to be close to this mess. There were sirens howling in the background, but Lorelei knew they were the type to keep the citizens out rather than to creep in. The men of the Round Table must have this situation on lock down.

"Alucard, I don't have time for this," Arthur grumbled into the chilled air. He chewed on his lip, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe he was going to say what he was planning to say next. Either that or he was simply tired of the master vampire's antics. "I do not mind taking the whelp in, but she would be your responsibility. If she screws up, even once mind you, then you have to put the brat out of her misery. Another issue. You will have to find a way to de-brainwash the thing by yourself."

"Are you sure, Arthur? She worked for our enemy and was clearly too indoctrinated to have sense. Hell, she was willing to martyr herself to act as a distraction in Oliver's abduction," Sir Irons interjected. He had straightened his glasses after clearing off cement dust from his otherwise crisp coat jacket. He peered at his friend with an intensity that would set anyone else ablaze. Arthur huffed.

"Remember our bet about the lycanthropes?"

"Unfortunately…"

"Then how about this. I'll clear any debt owed unto me from your misgivings if this endeavor fails."

"And if you're able to tame the beast?"

"Then you owe triple, my friend. Let that sink into your confounded head." Arthur dropped his cigar onto the ruined bridal boutique's carpeting and extinguished the still burning embers with his spit encrusted shoe. "Now if you people don't mind, I have a damsel in distress to extricate from Paris, France."

…

Walter could speak French fluently. In fact, he was so fluent in the language of Romance that it was a wonder that he was a true born Englishman. The butler even charmed the most pinched faced women and men with his liquid annunciation that pleasantly steamed over the toughest of skin, procuring a delicious shudder. Not to mention how his eyes were able to speak a language of other priorities. He was certain keep eye contact with his conversation partner, pinning the unsuspecting fool down to where they stood or sat until their hearts palpitated into pools of mush. Walter was also learning to wink, and so when one believed that he or she was set free from the butler's enchantment, they were then hit with the shine of a wink directed at full blast to their core. The butler took no prisoners.

This was how the people of Paris were charmed, or more closely related to the term tricked, into relinquishing more information than what they would have initially delivered. Instead of _no, I haven't seen anyone looking like that_ , Walter was given, _no, I haven't seen anyone looking like that, but I do remember someone with darkish skin and really blue eyes looking scared_. When one would have expected, _I really don't know where_ , what Walter actually received was, _I really don't know where, but I can tell you that it was two days ago near_ _ **La Perle**_ _._

" _Merci pour votre aide, madame. Veuillez, bonne journée_ ," Walter respectively bowed to an elderly woman who, despite being hand in hand with her harried husband, blushed down to each wrinkle lined upon her face. The woman's husband nodded to the astute butler and guided his besotted wife away. Walter turned to Lorelei who only shook her head in defeat.

"What am I going to do with you? You're such a Don Juan that you almost gave that unsuspecting woman a conniption." Lorelei was back in her fighting gear. She was loathe to ever wear another sundress again and promised to always keep her sword strapped to her hip to her dying day. Walter had also returned to his darker attire, which may or may not have helped in how he retrieved information.

"My Mistress could punish me for my unrelenting wanton mannerisms." Walter bowed to her as well. He saved his most sultry, most seductive, most skin crawling gleam to his expression for her and her alone. Lorelei nearly melted herself, but told her body to focus. They were here to save Oliver, not to steal away into nearby alleyways, pressed to a brick wall, sharing the steam of their kisses until…she shuddered and crossed her legs.

"Tempting, my butler, but not now. All of our information so far has been pointing towards _La Perle_ , or at least areas around the bar." Lorelei placed a hand over the scar on her belly. They had to wait nearly two weeks for Walter to heal his arm and by then, her own injury had fully schlepped off the nasty scab, although it would be a permanent scar. Walter liked to touch the pink skin, telling her that she was exquisite and that she now matched his own stomach. She smirked and then ran over the plan once more.

They had forgone any attempt at concealing their location. The enemy now had Oliver in their possession and so that meant anything may happen. Perhaps Oliver gave in and told the Major their futures, or maybe she had not. Either option was viable, but Arthur assumed the worst and called for going into the fray full throttle. He claimed that sneaking around would only waste time and energy, a point that Alucard highly enjoyed for once. And so when Walter could fully flick his arm like whip, when Sir Irons went into the Queen's Palace to explain why half of a shopping district had been destroyed by the supernatural and that was why Arthur had been whisked away to France, when Alucard had found just the right amount of sedatives for Rip Van Winkle, the team had made their first move.

"I wonder if the Major has crawled back into a warehouse," Walter mused aloud as they sauntered down a cobbled walkway. The sugared scent of dying leaves lifted in the air, announcing the arrival of Fall. The sun had actually made an appearance that day blazing unabashed light into the unshielded eyes of the citizens of Paris below. Lorelei sized Walter up assuming that he was recalling when he had first met with the Major to initiate his betrayal. Just the thought of those circumstances leading up to Walter's actions left a sour apple taste in her mouth.

"There _is_ a warehouse in the district. It contains baking ingredients," Lorelei mused. She could see the Major using the stored herbs to garnish his damn steaks. If she could just punch the guy in his face, never mind just shooting or slicing him with her sword, then the physical hurt of flesh to flesh would be tastier than any meal placed before her.

"Then we should report to Master Hellsing. He has been biting his nails to the quick. That is quite impressive when you factor in his night long walks of the city trying to find her." Walter was only a few inches away from Lorelei, but she could sense his need to touch. Watching his friend and employer walking in his shoes had been hell, and the butler was desperate to reunite Oliver with the forsaken head of the Hellsing Organization.

"I wish we had cellular phones," Lorelei sighed. "Even a radio would be nice right now. Too bad anyone could listen in."

"Anyone could listen in with cellular devices, too," Walter amended.

"True." Lorelei lifted a finger to confirm his point. "But you only dislike cellular phones because you couldn't really press the buttons correctly. They were too small and you kept selecting the _end call_ button. You should have gotten the _Cricket_ , you know, for the older folks."

"I'll have you know, you're going to age with me this time, and then maybe you'll be the one needing the _Cricket_ more than myself."

"Hush, old man. No need to get your dentures in a bind." Lorelei dodged the play swipe from the butler.

"After we rescue Miss Oliver, I'll show you what this _old man_ has hidden under his gloves." His breath was moist against her neck and she balled her hands into her pockets. Self control was harder than both of them thought it would be, but when the next month and a half had whittled away, they could finally act upon their hidden desires. That and saving Oliver. Lorelei grit her teeth, determined to get her friend back from the clutches of the Major and his cronies. The vampire hunter gasped internally at her own thoughts. Since when had Oliver become a dear friend? Was it when she witnessed through Walter how tender she became when in love with Arthur? Was it as she lost her memories and something within Lorelei had needed to protect the woman who had the potential to bare Integra Wingate Fairbrook Hellsing? Or could it have been when Oliver expressed how she needed to move on from her tortured past and offered to rid the world of Arthur's enemies? Lorelei smiled. There was only on way to find out. They had to get to Arthur.

"Arthur, Walter and Lorelei have arrived. Chin up, man. You are in a terrible way," Alucard clapped Arthur on the back. The man had been attempting to down his fifth glass of brandy when the vampire master used his sheer force to snap him out of his drunken revere. Arthur spluttered and grasped at a napkin, turning it into an amber smear when he wiped the spittle from his chin.

"Alucard, I'll be damned, if you are joking with me, I am not in the bloody mood," Arthur sulked. Lorelei tapped Arthur on the shoulder and the man nearly leaped out of his bones. "Oh, it really is you." After a confused sniff from Lorelei, he elaborated. "Alucard thought he would be doing me a favor if he told me every ten minutes that you came back with news when in actuality he'd being doing a better job in spreading the cheer if he could only get his pet vampire to talk." Arthur inclined his head at the figure who glumly perched on the bar stool aside Alucard. The figure set her head upon the cool wooden table and moaned.

"She still hasn't spoken yet, has she," Walter directed his question at Alucard. The vampire grinned ear to ear.

"Miss Van Winkle will take some time yet. I have sedated her to the point of compliance. A convenient mind sweep would be helpful in conditioning her like what was done with our dear Oliver, but good old fashioned training will have to do." Alucard chuckled and clasped his hands together. He almost gave off a pungent scent of excitement. Cinnamon and the taste of the night during a full moon. Lorelei never took the time to notice before, not even when he tried to "poke the tiger." In turn, Rip Van Winkle turned her face to the group. There were dark circles masking her once bright eyes. On her neck were the indication of fang marks. Two gaping holes puckered closed with a scab. If she couldn't heal those naturally with her vampire prowess, then they must have come from Alucard. How odd. Did the sedatives and Alucard's bite combined block whatever was implanted inside of her, the chip that turned her into flames?

"Arthur, we may have pinpointed where the Major's location may be." Lorelei explained their findings to her friend who ate every piece of knowledge like a man devoid of proper sustenance for months.

"Let's go. Right now. Come on, chaps." Arthur unsteadily shot up from his chair, slapping crisp notes onto the table to pay for his drinks. Lorelei placed her hand over his and shook her head.

"We have reason to believe that the Major's main target is Alucard. If you come with us, Walter, Alucard, and myself, then that would be casting you into the brightest part of the flame."

"I can't stay behind. I need to be there to save her." Arthur sloppily snatched his drink and gulped down the rest of the cool liquid. Lorelei noted the slight nod of Walter's head. She sighed and tried again.

"If you die trying to save Oliver, then who is she going to come home to? She doesn't like us as much as she likes you." Arthur conjured a blush as he tried to break his eye contact with Lorelei. She had never seen this man bashful before. It was a refreshing new side to her friend. "If you perish, then who would we have to look to? We need you, Arthur. Now let us help you in the only way we can." She blinked, watching the man before her stumble to his knees. She took in a ragged breath. Walter had drugged Arthur's drink upon her request. She innately understood that Arthur would never refuse the chance to come rushing in guns ablaze to swipe the woman he clearly loved even this early in their relationship. She did not want to take any chances with the Major. Now that the timeline was completely different from the one she grew accustomed to, she did not know what to expect.

"No," Arthur murmured. He made a lame attempt to hit Walter. The butler only grasped his master under the armpits to steady the quickly fading man. Blonde hair rested against the butler's vest, knees bent, head lolling. "Oliver. Dammit. Don't. Fucking. Mess this. Shit. Up." Arthur slumped completely into Walter's grip.

"Rip Van Winkle, take your new master to our meeting point. Do it now," Alucard growled at the vampire woman next to him. She mechanically stood, still blank as an android, and scuttled over to where Walter held Arthur. This was the only part of the plan that did not sit entirely well with Lorelei. Rip Van Winkle was a stray element. Even though Alucard insisted that he had the vampire woman under his control not only from his mind commands but from a little bite and exchange of blood, Lorelei virtually knew next to nothing about the woman still bedecked in the clothes she fought Alucard with. Of course they were cleaned, but it was still odd and surreal watching her jerk to attention in her matching ebony braids from Alucard's voice alone.

"I can sense your unease, woman. Worry not, once our mission here is complete, I shall loosen my control over her mind day by day until she can once again think for herself. Not only thus, but she will be able to cut her ties to the Major. He had her tight in his grip, that was for certain." Other patrons of the bar nervously hid their staring by enthusiastically drinking their cocktails and coffee when Alucard stood and stood up from his bar seat. The vampire was too tall for their tastes. He monitored Rip Van Winkle's progress in relieving Arthur from Walter until he seemed satisfied with the female vampire's completed task. He licked his canines and turned to Walter and Lorelei. "Now, while were are taking the walk that shall take us to this abominable hidden hideout, I want you both to tell me what happened the night we defeated the lycanthrope group."

Rip Van Winkle threw Arthur over her shoulder like a sack of all purpose flour. Arthur flopped against her back and yet she made no noise from her efforts. The patrons gasped until Alucard turned his red eyes upon the offenders. They collectively gulped and returned to devouring their food. The vampire woman robotically marched out of the bar to the appointed location where they would later meet if they all lived. Lorelei and Walter would have dabbed at the sweat forming on their temples if Alucard hadn't taken them both into his arms, steering them out of the area and into the dimly lit streets.

"I suggest you tell me now. I am loathe to enter without understanding this situation in full." His baritone wavered belying the concern that he made careful to shove deep within himself. Startled, the couple decided that Alucard was correct. How could he be kept in the dark about an event that was so intimately wrapped in his strings of fate? After all, another version of the vampire master was the one who saved them. Gave them another chance to be together. He even freed Oliver from a life of anger.

And so they told the vampire master, The No Life King, all of what transgressed. They glossed over certain details that would only bog the telling down. Sticking to the main events, they explained to Alucard of Lorelei's death. How Walter had been tricked into becoming a turncoat. The elaborate plot certified by Oliver's foresight. They divulged information about the young Integra and Alucard's student, Seras Victoria. How in the very end, Alucard was the true hero. They strolled down the silent streets, savoring their chance to be able to do so. Walter had unconsciously latched onto Lorelei's swinging hand after recalling those terrible and beautiful times.

"That certainly explains a lot," Alucard sighed. He stopped walking to watch the stars glimmer up in the space of night. They had expected the vampire master to storm off. To disown Walter and Lorelei by association. To rage and shoot and scream. But they did not truly expect him to throw back his head and hoot with hysterical, no, maniacal laughter. His whole body trembled with the exertion of the rib bursting laughs. "SO! You're telling me that you went through that whole fucked up situation because this one man, this MAJOR?! AHA! Then all you've done is add fuel to my fire! I shall personally see his existence being ripped away from the bloody womb of this earth. I shall snuff out his black soul. Tear the man into molecules with my teeth. Take him within myself and see how he handles the torture fallen upon his shoulders!" Alucard transformed into more monster than man becoming a smear of ash black against the tranquil, quilted sky.

"Alucard, I never had the chance to tell you, or rather, the you I had squandered our alliance with," Walter choked out. The butler sidled closer to the being swathed in the caress of the moon. It stirred and focused on Walter. "I am sorry for the utter pain I belied to you. I desired revenge. I had yearned for a world where beings such as yourself were no longer driving others mad with the hunger to surpass your power. And, most of all, I was selfish. I wanted to be the one with the knife in my hands as I cut your throat. The hero. Someone to be worthy of the life Lorelei lost." Walter bowed his head. "To resort to Integra's command at that penultimate moment, to let her words drive you to kill me even though you were destroyed inwardly, again I must apologize."

"Walter, my dearest friend. Have you yet to betray me, to betray your masters?" Asked the sheet of shadows.

"No. No, not now."

"Is your lovely woman breathing not but three inches away from your bare left arm?"

"Lorelei is alive and well."

"Are we not, even as we speak, intending to utterly annihilate the forces of which you were so worried would rise and burn the world?"

"True."

"Then what are you apologizing for? Right now, we are of equal footing. Let the past or any other possibilities decay, for we are in the here and the now. What is important are my commands from Master Arthur Hellsing. What churns in my heart is the instinct to slaughter the one who caused anguish to my allies through cowardly means. When all is said and done, then…then I can judge." Alucard reappeared from his black cloak, pale and wan. Had he aged from the telling of their tale, or was it the unusual wrinkles from pulling his long lips down? No, that wasn't it at all. There were the ghosts of tears not yet shed wavering in his red eyes. Tears for the count that had lost his friend and was forced into no other option but to kill the traitor. The tears that would now haunt the vampire master never to be shown upon the surface again after this night.

"Thank you Alucard. You…I wish to avoid the path I chose long ago." Walter held out a shaking hand, waiting for Alucard to reciprocate. The large vampire master glazed over the offering. The hand was shaking in anticipation of a truce or a rejection and Alucard let the decision waver, bending back and forth, until he grasped the proffered hand in an overly tight grip.

"If anything, Walter, I trust you more than I ever have. You have someone to protect, and I find that humans shine the brightest when they've found something along those lines." He smirked, back to his cocky immortal self. "But I reserve any right to call your bluffs. If you act like a wizened old crone, then I will tell you exactly so. Like right this instant, you're hunched over as if your back is gnarled into a 'T.' Tsk, tsk, Walter. I always told you you were becoming a boring ancient man with a stick up his ass."

The three exchanged relieved sighs, thankful to be back to the flow of their old camaraderie. There was not too much time to absorb the weight of freely speaking with Alucard for when the vampire master let go of Walter's hand and the trio began to traipse over to their destination, clapping could be heard from directly behind them. Immediately, they turned as one unit to face this unknown foe. For foe he was, of that there was no doubt.

"Ah, it seems as if this Major is sending out all of his newly made vampire wanna-be's. Tell me, are you a whelp like your friend, Rip Van Winkle?" Alucard goaded the vampire still clapping his hands.

"Yes, you are correct. I have been created into a newborn vampire only a month ago. I am still learning my powers, good sir, but I believe I am enough to wipe out such a sickening display of love and friendship," the tall man chuckled. Gold irises glittered from under the light of the stars, and this version of the vampire Lorelei knew from Walter's memories bore only a few differences as his younger self. He still wore his brown trench coat, the flaps of the fabric waving in the slight bursts of wind swirling around the enemies. There was no brown fedora and that was most likely to show off his longer russet hair and how it lay to his shoulders instead of cropped neatly to his scalp. There was no facial hair sprouting on his upper lip, but he still carried himself dangerously. He knew that he was powerful, even as a whelpling vampire. The force of the strength he carried tumbled in rocketing waves through the cobbled street and up the stalks of Lorelei's legs. This vampire here was Tubalcain Alhambra, otherwise known as under his lieutenant name, Dandy.

"Oh, you really think you can defeat all three of us? Come now, Mr. Dandy. You can barely handle _me_ ," Lorelei broke from the trio and sauntered closer to Tubalcain. The young vampire did not let his astonishment show from this odd woman's knowledge of his code name. The Major did warn him that their plans had been ruined when Integra Oliver had been stolen from them and to expect that she was forced to relay information. They trod on unknown territory now, when before, everything had been so clear and certain. Dandy straightened and cracked his knuckles. He noted that the failed traitor did not like the idea of this woman fighting him. Good. All for the better. Thanks to the butler's inability to cooperate, they would just have to do things the old fashioned way. Dandy would make sure that when he murdered the woman, he would then display her corpse on a pole for the butler to admire in his dread.

"You are just a gnat, woman. Leave the fights for the big boys," Dandy taunted. He felt around in his pocket and located the deck of cards he recently attempted to combine with his newly formed vampiric powers. His fingers had always been deft when shuffling for poker any other inane card game conquered he thought would make him the dealer of Europe, but now, with what he could do, his life before had been a mere parlor trick.

"Then I guess you should leave," Lorelei growled. "You're still a _runt_." Lorelei inclined her head so that she may speak to Walter and Alucard without being overheard. "I can handle this man. He's a newborn vampire, unfamiliar with his tricks, and I am versed in his fighting technique while he is not with mine. Go on without me and I'll catch up as soon as possible."

"I will not let you fight this monster alone, Poppet," Walter hissed while grabbing her upper arm in a vice grip. She ground her teeth, but later softened. The fear caked onto Walter was nearly tangible.

"I'm not suggesting this to upset you. Remember what Oliver said before she lost her memories? When Alucard is in the mix, then the future she foresees is not fixed like the others. Even when she accounted for Alucard, he was still able to allude a fixed future. If Oliver is forced to give the Major our plans, we have a better chance at saving her if Alucard is with us. The fact that we are here is enough proof that Alucard is Oliver-proof."

"Then you should be the one with Alucard." Walter's monocle flashed.

"No, as much as it pains me to say this, and it does Walter it really does, you are a smidgen more powerful than I am. Mind you, a smidgen! What awaits will be more intense than Dandy, and Alucard will need your help to defeat them. If I can take out Tubalcain, then that's one fly out of the way." Walter bit his lip. A bubble of blood formed at one of his canines. Lorelei swiftly took his hand in hers and squeezed.

"I am waiting, _querida_. Or do you forfeit already?" Dandy growled.

Lorelei ignored the vampire's jab and kissed Walter on the cheek. It was just a butterfly kiss, soft and gentle and fleeting. A shiver took control of the butler's body and Lorelei kissed the blood away from his lip.

"I won't let myself die. We have a long life to live together, and Arthur deserves a life with the one he loves as well. Not to mention, the Major and his Doctor friend need to be put out of their misery." She inclined her head, waiting for Walter's reply. He inhaled, and then furrowed his arched brow.

"You have all my faith, Mistress." With that, Walter turned and left. He did not look behind him lest he give in to his initial instinct. Protect the one he loved to the death. There was no need to repeat the words they already sang in their hearts. They loved each other, and they would speak those sentiments again and again soon. He trusted her. She was strong.

"Knock him dead, woman." Alucard smacked the middle of Lorelei's back. She coughed from the impact but smiled sheepishly at her friend.

"You, too. Keep yourselves safe, would you?"

"Naturally." Alucard only required a few extra long steps to catch up with Walter, who in turn really did have a leftover hunch from when he was an old man. Lorelei would have to keep on him about that. There was no use in taking out his back this early on in the game. She swallowed, gave her guys one last look, and then faced Dandy.

" _Señora_ _,_ I was afraid that I was boring you. Please, let me remedy your complacency by gutting you, shall I?" Dandy was quick, flashing from one side of the street to the other in mere seconds. He did not let Lorelei have time to pinpoint his actions, and he let a burst of cards fly from his fingers and into her shoulder. She managed to avoid a few of the more lethal cards, but the ones that did make contact hurt like hell. At least she knew that he wasn't one for pre battle speeches. She had met so many vampires and werewolves who wanted to talk and talk and talk. It was almost ridiculous how they really desired another to listen to how warped their minds truly were. Not Dandy. He apparently took offense to her verbal abuse. Good. That would make him sloppy.

"Nice shot," she grunted as she pulled the cards out in a bloody spray. "I let you take the first hit. Now it's my turn." She unsheathed her sword, letting the smooth polished metal sing. What she had learned from watching Dany's fight with Alucard through Walter's eyes was that this particular vampire was a distance fighter. He would do his damnedest to stay away and throw his cards from afar. That meant that he may be crap at close combat. It was worth a shot. Lorelei threw some more insults at the vampire, hoping to wear him out. "If you were thinking about growing a mustache, then you have a gross taste of fashion!" And, "I thought you were supposed to be great at card games, but you seem to have no ace up your sleeves!"

Her methods were working. Dandy attempted to hide his contempt, but his movements were becoming jerky and frantic. The rage in which he threw and distorted himself was palpable. Now he resorted to tricks, creating multiple versions of himself attacking at will in the middle of the death circle. Dandy was lucky, hitting Lorelei three times in her back and two on her right leg. She was particularly happy that Walter was not around to witness her taking so much damage. Lorelei deflected lazily, letting Dandy come in closer as if he were a wolf to her lamb. Forcing herself to stagger and letting the coppery liquid ooze from her injuries hit the stones at her feet was an effort. She was never one to show weakness, but Dandy was the type of man who fed upon the weak and so she bit back her pride and whimpered.

"Aha! I knew it all along. You were all bark but no bite. I do not see why Arthur Hellsing bothered to make you his wife or even why those two men were so besotted with such a wimp." Dandy let the cards nestled between his fingers flutter from one side of his hand to the other. "But now I shall take you out of your misery." He drew in closer, raising his hand up to deal the final death blow.

"Gotcha!" Lorelei moved as if she were a nymph as she flung herself forward and slashed at Dandy's gut. His intake of breath told her that he was not expecting such a form of attack. He stumbled away, his hand clutching the gaping wound on his belly. Lorelei knew that he would be easy prey once he let his cocky guard down, but she did not see the flash of an attack directed at her abdomen. He had given as good as he got, swiping at her with a sharpened blade that split her belly. Lorelei chuckled from the impact. Dandy was proving to be more interesting than what she initially believed. He glared at her, blood dribbling from his lips and staining his teeth red.

"What are you laughing at, woman?"

"Good attempt, Mr. Dandy," Lorelei uncovered her stomach revealing a bullet proof jacket underneath her clothing, "But I've learned from past mistakes that I shouldn't leave my heart unguarded." She used that opportunity to launch over to where Dandy groaned in his anger, slipped a blade from one of the belts strapped to her chest, and shoving the object up through Dandy's jaw. He choked and spluttered, pawing at her to keep from dying, but eventually his eyes rolled up into his head. He feebly snatched at Lorelei's shoulders and in one last desperate attempt before he died, slammed a hidden ace up his sleeve across Lorelei's throat. She jumped back holding her throat in terror. It was a superficial cut with no arteries or major veins cut, but the blood she was loosing wasn't something to laugh at.

"Damn, you _did_ have a hidden ace. Touché."

"Remember me with that scar, _querida_." Dandy spat a globule of saliva and blood at her feet as he staggered to the ground and burst into aqua flames. Lorelei knelt at the ashes, clawing at her jacket to grab the gauze she hid in a pocket. She hurriedly wrapped her throat to stanch the blood, but she was already feeling woozy. She wouldn't die from this, but she would be late in meeting Walter and Alucard. Lorelei clambered over to a black iron bench and lay her back against the cold enclosure. The flames from Dandy twirled into the fabric of the slowly dying night, heating her cooling fingertips. She felt the bandage she had wrapped was already soaked with her blood. The corners of her vision were becoming grainy and unfiltered and a rich pounding entered her head over and over again. With a start, she knew that she was hearing her heartbeat. Pound pa pound pa pound. Slower and slower and it hummed with the crickets around her. No, she wouldn't die from this. She couldn't. Gasping, the scenery around her blipped and disappeared. She was in complete oblivion.

 _Walter, I guess I have to try harder on keeping my promises, huh?_

Quick Author's Note Part 2: Thank you to my reviewers (and silent readers) so far. The feedback given had been most helpful, and it is always nice to see that my writing is enjoyable. II how your evening is enjoyable.


	14. Part Fourteen: Oppose

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and _sexual relations_. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Did you know that we are in the midst of sick season? Please keep yourself hydrated. I can make some hot lemon tea your throat. Would lemon biscuits be too much? I'm sorry. I'm only worried. See you on the flip side.

Part Fourteen: Oppose

"That one there. Her name is Zorin." Walter pointed to a woman amidst the group huddled in the back of one of the warehouse rooms. The butler and vampire master had combed the area near the bar, _Le Perle,_ for nearly ten minutes when Alucard sensed a great gathering of the supernatural, including one lycanthrope, in the warehouse Lorelei only hours before explained would be filled with baking supplies. Walter could already tell that this warehouse was equipped with devices that were definitely out of accordance to cooking goods. When they poked their heads through a window's crevice, the butler saw trip wires, artillery, maps, and an elevator that one could only assume led down to a dim, gray basement. If he were a betting man like his master Arthur, he would stake his stash of monocles that the Major, Doctor, and Oliver were secreted away below.

The muscular woman in question, Zorin, was commanding a group of ordinary human foot soldiers along with an unfamiliar lycanthrope. It would seem that in the 1960's, the Doctor was only able to turn a notable few of their best soldiers in vampires. The rest of the soldiers must have come to vampiric fruition in the future, and that could be why a straight out attack was launched forty years from now instead of at this moment. This Zorin demon was obviously one of the Major's few favorites if he had not sent her out to pick off the Hellsing team. Walter had not personally met the woman in his timeline, but the Major had described her attributes and abilities when he gave the butler the plan to ultimately destroy Alucard. Walter winced at the memory if his aiding Millennium.

"She can manipulate her victim's brainwaves to make them see what she desires them to see, and as such, she can extract the worst memory a person can offer, distracting her quarry until it is too late." Walter glanced at the impassive Alucard. He folded his arms, sizing up this new enemy. "In my timeline, she was suppose to gain reconnaissance on the Hellsing Manor containing Master Pip and your pupil, Seras Victoria. She must have disobeyed her orders, for Seras came back to the battleground of London severely changed. A true vampire. And smelling of the one she had loved." Walter's stomach churned at his recollection of Seras's ruby red eyes. How her arm was severed only to be replaced by the unwavering energy of the soul she drank from Pip's blood. Could he have done such a thing, to drink Lorelei's blood as a vampire, if she was certain to remain in his soul forever? Would he have been able to stand feeling her inside of him but unable to touch her cool skin? To feel the thrum of her pulse beneath his thumb? He frowned. Seras was a brave and terrifying woman. It was a pity that she did not exist in the here and now.

"I shall leave her to you, then," Alucard harrumphed.

"You shall what now?' Walter's voice almost cracked from his shock. "Oh no, no, no, Mr. Alucard. There shall be none of that nonsense. Remember the last time you left me alone to do your own thing, hmn? Yes, that didn't end too terribly well considering we're still paying for our previous mistakes." He waved his hands at the group of Millennium members standing before them.

"Walter, it wasn't that bad. So what if the dog man beat you to a bloody pulp? You handled it fine in the end, did you not?" Alucard slipped on his mischievous smirk, the one he knew would piss the butler off just that much faster.

"Handled it fine is an understatement, you oaf." Walter scrubbed at his face with the palms of his hands. "Did you not hear the reasoning behind Lorelei's offer to rid us of that Dandy vampire? We need to be together so that Oliver's visions are unable to touch us." He accidentally brushed his pulled back hair in his fidgeting, and a few strands escaped his hair tie. They lazily fluttered in the wind.

"I guess there's no other way," Alucard sighed.

"I am glad that you have finally gathered up some common sense."

"No, you misunderstand. What I meant was that Zorin woman we were speaking of, well, she is already here. No choice _but_ to take her on. You do remember _signal blue_ , correct? Use that when I give it." Alucard's lips pulled up in a sardonic grin.

Walter looked inside of the warehouse to find that it was now empty. He turned to see Zorin and her minions crowding around them with sneers lit plainly upon their angular faces. The butler sighed and pulled at his black gloves. He did not want to make too much of a mess, but if he had to, like Alucard said, there was no other way around it. Walter searched his mind for the signals that Alucard and his younger self used when fighting the corrupted vampires almost two decades prior. Ah, yes, signal blue. That meant Walter would have to do most of the grunt work. That route suited him well enough. He eagerly awaited for the woman with tattoo markings on the right side of her face to speak. She didn't disappoint.

"Well, would you look at this. That old witch was right. You two were standing here all along. And here I thought the good ol' Major had lost his mind when he let Jan and Rip Van Winkle get hijacked from us. This Oliver's powers are something to be coveted." Her voice came out like two stones grating together with no polish to smooth the grit. The muscles along the woman's back tensed and then relaxed. She grinned evilly, her emerald eyes flashing with violent glee. She shouldered a mean looking scythe, the blade of which shone heavily in the light of a nearby street lamp. Her shock of orange, pixie cut hair was like a beacon, a stark contrast between her light gray skin and glittering jewel eyes. In this rugged way, Zorin was more demon than vampire.

"Good evening, Madam. How may we be of service?" Walter bowed elegantly. As he leaned over, he surveyed the soldiers and turned lycanthrope. They were holding machine guns and a few palmed some grenades. The butler knew his limits, and machine gun rounds were slightly difficult to avoid. Only slightly. What he was worried about was the movement he caught just beyond Zorin. His best guess was a hidden assault. Alucard repositioned himself to better reveal his two guns. The silver metal jackets gleamed beautifully against the crisp night, and Walter had to admit that it felt good to be at the master vampire's side again.

"Don't give me any of that bullshit." Zorin heaved her scythe over her shoulder, directing the tip at Walter's prone form. "The Major has to reconstruct his machinations all over again because of you. I've waited far too long already. I surely would have gone mad letting the full fifty years come to term. But now, now it is all for naught! I shall reap you both over and over until there is nothing left but your shredded souls!" She growled, pulling back her lips to reveal sharpened teeth much like a shark's. Her irises shook in her corneas, making her seem as if she had gone mad.

"Why does this Major never teach manner's to his fledglings? Walter, do you have any inkling as to why? Maybe they are _blue_?" Ah, the signal. Alucard slowly turned in a circle. He was quick at pulling the triggers on both of his guns, letting each soldier, including the lycanthrope, surrounding them fall in a dead heap from his accurate bullets. Zorin yelled, but she was too late. While Walter had been bowing, the hand behind his back was working as fast as he could to string a web behind the female vampire and trap her. She screamed bloody murder in protest to their signal blue, and yet she still held tightly to the scythe in her iron grip.

"No, sir, I cannot fathom as to why he would allow such whelps to scamper about untrained." Walter tugged at his wires, pulling Zorin's shoulders closer. It was amazing how the butler got accustomed to his new found youth. The complicated wire techniques that he taught himself over and over never failed him with these young, sturdy fingers. He flicked out his middle finger, letting a wire slap the female vampire's cheek. She roared, green irises ablaze. His choice movement was not lost on her.

"I will not be as easy a catch as you would believe!" Zorin hurriedly mouthed a few words. As she commenced, a red eye blinked into existence upon her forehead as her previously stationary tattoos blared to life. Ancient runes tumbled down her cheek like a gushing waterfall. Her entire face was dancing with unrelenting action, and Walter attempted to fling wires over her mouth to stop her chanting. The wires were flicked off and away from her face by some unseen force. Walter cursed. He was too late.

"Alucard, we need to leave!" The butler turned to his friend only to find that the master vampire had been caught under Zorin's witch spell. His gaze was blank and unknowing and he shook with such a ferocity that he tumbled to his knees in a type of supplication. His white skin became translucent and red eyes flickered into a warm brown. He wavered from his strong, red ensemble to the black skin suit kept together with belts. The vampire master leaned over, hands to the ground, breathing as if he sucked in his last breathes. Droplets of color as red as sweet wine plummeted to the ground. Alucard was crying. Walter faltered, unnerved by the display of weakness. What was Zorin forcing Alucard to rewatch? The wretched past? The unforeseen future? "Wake up, Alucard! It isn't real! I told you her visions are exactly that. Just visions!"

"Oh, but it _is_ real!" Zorin whooped from in front of him.

Walter was able to avoid the sudden attack that came from his left. A streak of blond hair and clean cut black clothing followed by the stench of gunpowder. He caught just enough motion to confirm that Luke Valentine had reappeared to join the fight, and because of the butler's sudden movements, Zorin was now free. Walter felt his stomach squeeze and drop. Blast it all to Hell. He had been worried about Lorelei, but she should have been the one to worry for him.

 _No. I shall not let her down. I will not waste this second life!_

Walter redirected the propulsion of his body and faked running towards Alucard as if to aid his friend. Luke immediately locked onto Walter's specific movement, aiming his the muzzle of his weapon at where he thought the lithe butler was going to be next and pulled the trigger. At the last millisecond, Walter flung himself to the cobbled ground, rapidly rolling at a stop, and like a viper, flung his wires at Luke. The powerful recoil from Luke's pitiful weapon kept the blond vampire from properly reacting in time (he was still a newborn in vampiric terms,) and he was flung back into the warehouse wall with Walter's wires helping the blow. Planks of half rotten wood and clumps of asbestos littered the vampire's stunned body, and he hacked a few times from the strong impact of flesh to broken wall. He lay prone in a pool of his own silky yellow thick of hair.

Before Walter could again stand, Zorin was already on him. There would be no time to gloat over Luke's misgivings. Zorin's lethal scythe sliced into the muggy air, humming with the eagerness of tearing skin and ripping tissue. The butler was not fast enough in his dodge and his foot was skewered by the hungry blade. Pain beat through the back of his mind in a brilliant trill, but he ruthlessly shoved the angry swelling aside. There was no time to feel, only react. He reached over and yanked the scythe out, grabbing at the cold metal with both of his hands. The blade cut through his gloves and bit into his soft palms, but he was set in motion. Walter used his end of the scythe to jab the handle of the weapon into Zorin's gut. His plan actually worked and Zorin staggered backwards with surprise, the air temporarily knocked out of her. A shot exploded into the air, and Walter could feel the odd sting of a bullet wound at his right hip. Blood had already spread, darkening his already tight black pants. Luke shot him, the bastard. Walter inwardly grinned.

Good, they were focused on him. Not good for the painful wounds, but this was what he had planned for.

Walter dodged around his enemies taking a few more superficial hits. Whenever Zorin acted as if she were to activate her witch spells, he managed to slick his wires over her mouth before she was immune. Soon, her lips were torn and bloody because of his forethought. Zorin did not like that at all. Not one bit. She threw herself onto the butler, and yet every time he slipped out of her frenzied attacks. Eventually, Luke ran out of bullets and fumbled around in his black jacket to quickly reload.

When these two specific elements aligned (Luke out of bullets and Zorin blinded by rage,) Walter grabbed his one and only chance at surviving this mess without mercy. He redirected his wires, letting the delicate strands loop around Alucard's neck. The master vampire was still stunned, trapped in the terror filled world of his own creation all thanks to Zorin's manipulations. Walter could have sworn that both Luke and Zorin's eyes would have popped out of their heads. They had not expected the Angel of Death to direct his instrument of demise upon his ally. Well, they weren't going to expect _this_ either. Walter prepared himself, took a breath, and yanked his wires down. In doing so he decapitated his friend.

Alucard's head tumbled off of the stump of his neck, rolling along his arms and halting in between is splayed legs. There were still blood tears streaked down his cheeks, still the expression of utter desperation painted on his lips. With the way Alucard's body was propped, almost cradling its severed head, Walter could not help but think of Buddhist priests willingly mummifying themselves for the sake of escaping Samsara.

"I…I do not understand. Were you on our side all along?" Luke Valentine stuttered. His glasses had fallen off during their brawl and were laying broken on the flagstones. The boy's straw colored hair was matted with his own blood and acted like some macabre hair gel. "If so, why did you kill my brother, you bastard?"

"You idiot, do you really think beheading that beast is going to do anything?" Zorin growled at Luke from deep within her chest. She grasped at her scythe like a child would with her white baby blanket, trembling with either terror or excitement. Perhaps both. Alucard's body and head were not moving, sitting stagnant in their own blood. A perfect scene to become a painting. Zorin shook her head and began to chant her spell through her shredded lips, but she was now understanding that Walter's stunt had broken whatever hold she once had over the vampire master. Her words were not taking hold. She shouted them out. Cried through them. Begged. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

"Right now, I would suggest a healthy dose of praying if you want to make peace to the god of your choice. Otherwise, please enjoy your extended stay in Hell" Walter grinned. He waved his bloodied fingers in the air, touched his belly, and bowed.

"No, no, no!" Zorin screeched, green eyes blazing. The red eye like a beacon on her forehead, flashing. She sprinted at Walter, raising her scythe above her head for a killing blow. She halted in mid step, gasping as white hands appeared at either side of her head, snaking through her orange locks of hair, and slithering around to brush her eyes, nose, and copper smeared mouth. They wriggled onto her being like fat, wet maggots digging into the feted skin of carrion. She whimpered as those very hands, many hands, hands over her throat, torso, legs, chest, clung to her like a dead lover, letting her take in the moment where her demise was peering at her through her bedroom window, waiting to claim her each night of every day until today. Now. The twitching, overly long fingers of those crawling hands wearily hung back for a second, a minute, and then they plunged into her like a vulture to fresh roadkill. Emerald irises and white cornea exploded in a muscular filled mess from the intrusion, her slithering tongue plucked from its socket and flung to the earth as hands squeezed and shimmied into her screaming mouth. Her ribs were cracked like that of one digging into a steamed crab and spread open, letting her steaming innards squelch free as the white hands slipped in, covering their pure white digits in heart red. The stench of urine and excitement permeated the spot before the warehouse. Zorin fell spluttering to her knees until what was left of her face smashed into the pavement. The blended liquids of what used to be body congealed around her.

The hands, unrelenting even in Zorin's demise, still consumed the female demon until she was only a puddle of stinking, convulsing remains. From those remnants arose the joyous visage of Alucard reborn. The tall shadow, smeared with streaks of mud and life, jerked as his spine aligned. His head cracked from side to side like some vengeful ghost. He climbed out of Zorin's carrion like a spider, scuttling to his knees and eventually to his feet. He lifted his blood red eyes to Walter, tilting his head like a puppy. A piece of Zorin's lung plopped off of him.

"Thank you for the meal, Walter. You've outdone yourself."

"My pleasure, sir." The butler watched as Luke Valentine vomited onto the side of the warehouse. The idiot actually ate human food before the battle. Who taught this novice? Walter lifted his hand, indicating Luke. "Are you still hungry, Alucard? This one here made such a racket while you were dealing with the other, screaming and pulling at his hair. I think he could not properly wait his turn."

"I couldn't imagine taking away from your plate, Walter. Please, it's your turn to dine," came the dark, jovial reply.

"Very well, sir."

"N-n-now w-wait, just a-a-a minute. Can't w-w-we all—" Luke did not finish his plea. He staggered, expression set into that of shock, as he split into meaty pieces to pile in a steaming heap at the warehouse's foundation. How odd that everyone, in the end, becomes a glob of leftover mass. These two just needed some help along the way. Walter sniffed at his handiwork and then clutched at his hip.

"He wasn't even fit as proper dog food," Walter commented.

"Can you make it to where the Major is hiding, old man?" Alucard quirked an eyebrow. He was in his black attire and he almost blended perfectly into his surroundings. There were almost no sign that the vampire had been reborn from a pile of pulsating innards. Well, there was some leftover strands of orange hair on his shoulder. Walter's butler instincts urged him to clean the mess, but he brushed the need away. _Not now_.

"There's a wound here that requires binding, but other than that," Walter took a step and remembered the hard way that his foot had been skewered. The scythe had definitely split the bone and, he couldn't be for sure, but he thought a couple toes had been severed. He winced and was unable to quickly hide the flash of naked pain. Not to mention, his hands hurt like hell. His favorite black gloves were beyond repair.

"Stay here, butler. I do not want you to keel over too early," Alucard offered. He had noticed the hair at last and plucked the pieces off one by one, letting them flutter onto the heap of bones that used to be Zorin. For some reason, she and Luke had not turned into blue flames. Walter had no doubt that the Major knew and chose not to let them burn. What was the point when Walter and Alucard were so close already?

"I can make it. I have to see this through. Besides, I have information that you do not readily possess." Walter gripped his injury on his hip and trudged back to the warehouse's opening. He was limping heavily with droplets of blood dribbling down his leg.

"You're not going to wait up for me?" Everything halted. That wasn't either one of the men or their fallen enemies.

The two men saw Lorelei galloping over to them at full pelt. She was a blur of strawberry red hair and flashing turquoise eyes. Walter barely had time to register the bandage around her neck before she tumbled into his arms. On instinct, he held her tighter, inhaling the rich scent of vanilla mixed with sweat and blood. He ran his hands over her soft hair and stiff shoulders, surprised all over again that she was real and alive and healthy. That she was his and still wanted to be with him despite everything. Lorelei pulled completely away without warning, leaving him to embrace the cold autumn air instead of her warm form. He open and closed his hands, confused. Lorelei saw Walter's puppy dog violet eyes and sighed.

"What do you think you're doing stumbling into the next fight while all battered up like that? At least dress your damn wounds. Bleeding equals loss of blood equals eventual death, you moron!" Lorelei scoffed and pulled a first aid kit from inside of her black over coat.

"What happened to your throat?" Walter did not bother to argue with her. He knew that was one battle that would not be won as quickly as they killed Zorin and Luke Valentine. He heard Alucard muttering something under his breath about how the butler wouldn't listen to him when he said to keep back, but Walter blocked the rest of the master vampire's jilted ramblings.

"Dandy decided that he wanted me to have a nap. He nearly got to the main artery in my neck and I lost enough blood to black out. Luckily, I recovered enough to wake right back up. It also doesn't hurt that I packed some sugar candies in my first aid kit to regain my strength." As she produced gauze from her kit Walter could see the aforementioned candy. Peppermints it would seem. If he focused, he could smell the leftover tang of the candies on her breath. As if drunk by her scent alone, he leaned over and kissed her. She gasped, but returned the kiss with a fervor that he craved for. She skimmed her tongue over his bottom lip, and he shivered from how she transformed from a shy maiden to seductive nymph. Walter cupped the back of her head in his hand, keeping her close. His blood flooded to his groin and he fought the instinct to lift her up and take her to his bed. Unfortunately, his bed was quite some distance away.

"Ahem. I'm feeling like the third wheel here. Should I join you two to feel included?" Alucard interrupted them, peering over their entangled forms. They broke free from each other. Lorelei blushed, her freckles being over taken by the flash of red. Walter rolled his eyes and peeled the side of his trousers down to allow Lorelei to dress his wound. Luckily, the bullet had passed through and did not settle into his hip. All Lorelei need do was clean and cover the wound. She then quickly plucked off his boot to cleanse and bandage the open mark from the scythe. Only one toe was actually severed, barely hanging on through a thin sliver of flesh, and so Lorelei had buddy tapped the appendage. The process did not take long, only around seven minutes. Walter would only leave when he made sure that Lorelei's neck wound was as firmly bandaged as the ones she had just dressed for him. The aching pain was still lingering, but they were as ready as they could be given the circumstances.

"I've deduced that the Major, the Doctor, The Captain and Oliver should be the only remaining enemies in the basement," Walter listed as they entered the warehouse.

"I feel as though we're forgetting someone," Lorelei wondered out loud. She shook her head. There was definitely someone else, but for now she wouldn't worry. As they entered the warehouse, Lorelei took aim and activated the tripwires. They exploded taking crates of herbs and flour with them, but now they were no longer a problem. She also surmised that the Major and his crew were already aware of their presence since they sent Zorin and Luke Valentine, so a few explosions never hurt. In fact, some fire always added to the fun. "Also, I believe that Millennium needs to recruit people with actual names. _The_ Major, _The_ Doctor, _The_ Captain, did their parents gives them perfectly good names just to have the thrown away for useless nouns?"

"There is no need for the dead to be named," Alucard chuckled. He popped his knuckles, letting his red attire creep back around his form like a live creature. A swarm of bats swept over the pale light of the moon and disappeared, lighting the odd angles of Alucard's grinning façade. The trio descended deeper into the warehouse's guts, drawing over to where the lift loomed.

"Well, shall we descend into the foreboding basement, Mistress? Alucard?" Walter stood at the ominous lift. It was a metal grate painted yellow with metal sides for workers to hold onto when they maneuvered crates onto the site. There was a large orange button for down and a bright green button for up.

The butler's hand wavered over the orange button, mentally preparing for what was up ahead. Their enemies must know by now that they were steadily getting closer. That Jan, Luke, Dandy, and Zorin were dead. That Rip Van Winkle had been somehow neutralized and unable to burst into those blue flames by Alucard. They must be waiting. Biding their time. Walter recalled all of the sheer destruction caused by Millennium when given time. What would they do now that their time was cut short and they were backed into a corner like a rabid fox? Once more, Alucard was with them. He was the object of the Major's obsession. There were no plans here that would save the Major from Alucard. Not even his pet cat could…Walter clenched his fists. That was the last piece of the puzzle and the person Lorelei had been forgetting. Had Schrodinger been created yet in this time line? It was best not to take chances and proceed as if the boy was already alive and ticking.

"Before we descend, I need to warn you Alucard. Do not take any blood. Not one drop. Your demise in my timeline was due to the properties belied to a creature called Schrodinger. He was able to exist in any time and place. To be both dead and alive. You took all of his lifeblood and gained his properties. Yes, you were able to save us because of Schrodinger's aid, but it wouldn't do for you to fall into the same trap now."

"If you admit that you both would miss me terribly, then that is when I shall make promises." At both of his friend's sullen looks, Alucard relented. "Fine. I shall not partake of any fallen blood. My Master's orders were to search and destroy, and so that means living through this fight to complete his will." Alucard popped his collar. "Now, if we could just get to it. My fangs are in pain from the waiting."

"Very well, sir." They gathered onto the lift, and Walter pressed the orange button. The platform groaned, trembled, and...did nothing. Walter quirked his brow and tentatively pressed the green button meant to raise the lift. The metal trembled and shot up at a blinding speed. Lorelei feared that they would all three become greasy smears on the warehouse's ceiling until she realized that there was another opening hidden by the shadows that would allow the three safety through. She sighed with relief. It was a small blessing, but she would take it. Walter, on the other hand, was glad that he did not bet his monocle stash on the Major hiding out in the basement after all.

Out of all the situations the trio thought they would face, that did not expect that their enemies would be waiting right there in the attic for them. Yet there they were. A small, subdued yelp echoed in the attic, but none of the men before them were the Major lounged in an elaborate red armchair much like the one Alucard favored in his own basement dwelling. He wore a black dress shirt buttoned up to his neck, gray trousers, and golden rimmed glasses. He also was adorned with his ever present smirk. His white gloved hands were perched at his knees, and the dirty blond hair he usually kept clean and crisp was mussed and out of control. To be anything less than well pressed perfection meant that the Major was backed into a corner. Or at least, that was what Lorelei hoped. The Doctor, always in his insane white costume all with belts and mid-drift showing, hid behind his odd ocular device. He was not grinning, which was a pleasant plus. The bean stalk man grasped an unfamiliar device that seemed to be more of a worry-stone than something that could be used as a weapon. To the right of the Major was the ever stoic Captain. There was the usual off shade of green jacket, gray-white strands of hair poking from his cap, and shoulders hunched as if he wanted to snap out of existence. He frowned at Walter who in turn cracked his knuckles without knowing he was doing so. Walter may have turned a new leaf, but that didn't mean that he would become bosom buddies with the werewolf.

The scene unfolded inch by inch as the trio's lift finally made a halt of screeching metal against metal. All at the once, the particles in the air shuddered in anticipation of the crucial face off. Walter quickly squeezed Lorelei's hand before they departed from the lift and drew close to the imposing counter trio. His touch lingered, and she wished he could stay just for a millisecond longer. She ignored her urge to bite her nails and pushed onwards. She would crush these people underfoot without hesitation. There were no other options but to win. Anything other than victory would mean the destruction of all who she held dear. Unlike that night when she was only thirteen, she would save the ones she loved like she couldn't save her father in her moment of weakness sixteen years ago.

"Ah, welcome!" The Major's high pitched accent grated against their sensitive ears. Lorelei felt a sharp twinge at her back from the sound and shuddered. Everything about the man mad her physically ill, even his lavender cologne. Yuck! He waved at them, beckoning them over. "Come, come! We have eagerly been awaiting you. Oh, please do forgive me. Your cohort, Integra Oliver Donell, has also awaited your arrival." The Major jerked his shoulder and the Doctor dragged a shuddering form from behind the armchair. She had been previously out of sight, but Lorelei knew she heard some type of whimpering when they arrived. She gnashed her teeth in anger. What had they done to Oliver?

The woman was bound with duct tape around her wrists, ankles, and knees. They had cut her shiny blond hair up to her ears and sprouts stuck haphazardly from every which way on her scalp. Her mouth was taped shut with icy blue eyes shot through with terror. The Doctor held her by her neck, and from the dim lighting provided from the large overhead light, the trio could plainly see the bruises mapping up and down her light brown skin. Her shoulders slumped as if in defeat when she saw that she may be rescued. That was not a good sign. What had she seen in her future visions that would deserve such a disheartened response at the prospect of safety?

"Integra here has proved to be more trouble than she is worth. She squirmed much like a gnat, and like the insect she is, she will soon be squashed." The Major spread his hands out into the air as if to ask _but what can you do?_ He chuckled to himself and continued. "You all are too silent. Very broody." There was a small table next to the man with a glass of red wine sitting innocently on the glass top. The man grabbed the wine and drank deeply. The Captain blankly stared past the trio as the Doctor bit his lip in frustration. "The main point here, lady and gentlemen, is that you have won today. Today you should revel in your victory. We were somehow outwitted when we were so close to the cusp of victory." He shrugged his shoulders in what seemed to be good nature. "We knew you were coming and pitifully sent Zorin and Luke to give us the time for what we needed to do. Tell me, Alucard, what vision did Zorin immerse you in?"

"None of your business, Nazi scum," Alucard's voice rumbled from deep within his chest. Okay, that hit a nerve. Lorelei touched Alucard on the arm, but he ignored her.

"Come now. We're friends, aren't we? We both have grasped at the strings of strength, honing our skills, making the sufficient sacrifices, all to lap at the well of power. Although I was never to see you again with mine own eyes, I feel as if this meeting here, face to face, was the true path and demise I was to partake of after all. Although, I would have very much loved to see my ruined plans grow to fruition, the best I can do is use every card I have to its fullest extent." The last vestiges of wine clung to the Major's lips, staining them red.

"You are speaking in riddles. If you have something to sane to say before you die, then you might as well spit it out." Walter readied his wires. It was time to end this little dance for good and before events spun out of control. He refused to let his injured hands let him down.

"Butler, yes. I have you to thank for my sudden downfall. Were you to see events my way, then perhaps all could have been done differently." The Major sighed but still grinned. "In any case, I would like you three to understand that though you may kill me, my doctor, and my wolf, there is one other that I can still rely upon." He held up one patient finger. "He may seem a kitten by your perspective, but he is a wonderful asset. My Schrodinger even now has been set off to find your Sir Arthur Hellsing. Thanks to Integra's certain confirmations, Arthur shall die by Schrodinger's hands. Soon after, my pet will disappear and rebuild the empire I had wished to unleash on the world. And you, Alucard, you will live through the loss of your Master and soon the murder of your friends just as your vision from Zorin predicted. So I suppose that in the end, this will still be _**my win**_."

"Not very likely!" Lorelei growled. "Arthur wouldn't be killed by a kid like Schrodinger. He'd find a way to be rid of the brat!"

"Ah, woman, you are also someone who refused to play by the book. I do so hate it when the dead speak." The Major shook his head. "And alas, there is no way to destroy Schrodinger. He is everywhere and nowhere. He is both opened and closed. Night and day. I could add more used and dry references, but I believe you have the point. The meaning is, if your Arthur ever, by some insane circumstance, escapes my pet, he will be hunted for the rest of his life. He will perish from the fear of the cat in every corner. Every crevice. And when he does loose his very last breath, that is when the world's final defense will fall, for Schrodinger will be there to meet humanity's end."

"My creation has been built as such," the Doctor interjected as if he wanted one last pat on the back from his commanding officer.

"Yes, and that is the brilliance of it all. If he could not be used to his initial purpose, then he might as well see to it that the world perishes," the Major agreed. The Doctor flashed a true smile from the praise.

"You all make me sick to my stomach," Walter sneered. "I'm done with your games. I care not whether Oliver's predictions are true or nay. All I foresee are your imminent demises." He lashed out, letting a loop of wire fly directly at the Major's face. Unexpectedly, Alucard let his arm block the attack. The limb became entangled in the blue wire, and, not ready for such resistance from his ally, Walter pulled the wire back, cutting through flesh and bone. The arm flopped like a fish scraped from its life water. "Dammit! Alucard, what on Earth are you up to?"

"Walter," Alucard coughed. He ran a shaking hand along his face, his bangs covering his eyes. "I need to handle this one. I have a right to." Alucard trembled. The movement was nothing subtle. His whole body shook, waving from side to side in a violent intensity. He roared with either fear or exhilaration, Walter did not know. The vampire threw back his head, jerking in a heaving unnatural spree. Lorelei, frightened, searched all the people in the room. Everyone was just as startled as she was. Even the Major bore an expression of disgust and fascination, but he still did not know what was occurring either. Wait, there was one other. She was staring at Alucard with such a frigid intensity that she may as well bore a hole into the master vampire. And, although he was in a wild frenzy, Alucard met her gaze. Something was happening. Something big.

Alucard slumped to his knees. The Major stood to his feet to take a better look at his sworn enemy. The rapid movement before them settled, and everyone held their breath, gawking at the vampire master. He began to laugh. Low at first but ever growing in volume. Smooth and seductive, they were frantic laughs of triumph.

"It sure is pleasant to possess a solid figure once more." Alucard revealed his face from behind his long, black hair. To everyone's horror, they found that the man did not posses a face in the sense of the ones humans and the supernatural were used to seeing. Usually a person possessed just one face, a singular placidity. But Alucard? It was if there were many faces, hundreds, thousands of features, eyes, noses, hair, lips, and dimples fighting to be the dominant landscape. Blue, green, yellow, red, purple, brown, black, tan, freckles, scars, cleft lips, thin, fat. They blurred and warped, battling for dominance. Lorelei felt her stomach churn from merely glancing a few seconds at the unsettling monstrosity. She knew who this was. She knew with her entire being. This was the Alucard from the alternate timeline. The one who saved her and Walter from a grievous fate. Her insides squeezed knowing that he was still trapped within the confines of Schrodinger's curse. But just how did he get here?

"What are you?" The Doctor screeched managing to sound both terrified and curious.

"I am the many you stripped of being one. I am the all who shall be the none."

"Oh dear, I fear I do not understand," the Major clucked.

"Take a better look around, fool," Alucard's shell snapped.

To the Major's right was Schrodinger. The werecat was not in his youth group garb. He was dressed much like his creator, the Doctor. All white. All angelic features expanded upon. Rosy cheeks, big cat eyes, and soft yellow hair the shade of the setting sun. He glanced around the warehouse attic, clearly confused.

"Where is the Captain?" The Major asked. His mouth was scrunched as if he had a particularly unappetizing steak. "And Integra. Where did she go?" True enough, both the hulking werewolf and the woman who was once caught in the iron grip of the Doctor were gone. Gone a replaced with a nonplused cat.

"I…" Schroginer gulped, "I was right behind Arthur Hellsing. I had the gun within my hand. But now…now I am here against my intent." The boy turned to the Doctor, still perplexed. "And yet, I also remember being here all along, listening to the Major and his speeches. I remember him sending the Captain and Integra to Arthur to taunt the prey, to kill her, and then kill Arthur himself all because the Captain insisted. The Captain…he never asks for stuff like that." His shrill child's voice cracked. For the first time, the boy was twisted in a knot of fear. He eyed Alucard, who had during the boy's recollections, shambled closer. One step, another, another. Closer…and…closer.

"W-what are you doing?" Schrodinger yelped. He backed away from the master vampire's reeling shell.

"Major, I distinctly recall you telling this body here that there was no possible way to kill your pet cat." The Alucard husk did not lift his head to speak with the Major. His attention was solely on the golden haired boy.

"Y-y-ou must have d-done something with I-I-Integra!" Schrodinger's baby eyes glistened. Lorelei was surprised to see this boy in such a state of fear. Through Walter's eyes, she saw how nonchalant he could be in the face of a gun's muzzle. Hell, he smirked at the mask of death many times. What was different now? The Alucard thing ignored the boy.

"I am taking a sinister gamble here, but I am willing to give this a go." The Alucard thing snapped up Schodinger's face in one hand lifting him off of his feet until they dangled helplessly inches from the tiles. The vampire master's hand alone fully encompassed the boy's face. Schrodinger wriggled and clawed away at the Alucard husk but to no avail. When that method was exhausted, the cat attempted to blinked out of existence. Blink. Blink. Blink. For whatever reason, the cat boy could not escape, and the terrified, high pitched yelp muffled by Alucard's palm were proof enough that the boy was near his end. "If I drink your blood as I am now, then surely a negative and a negative will nullify and produce a positive." The many faces licked their different lips in anticipation. "I shall be rid of you at last. I can return to my Master Integra and pupil Seras. My rightful place. The ones who are mine and I theirs." The husk laughed bitterly. "I wonder how long I might have been absent from them." He extended his fangs, the tips pointed like knives. "These souls in my body all leave my entity once you are gone!"

Schrodinger screamed when the Alucard husk bit into the boy's neck like one would crunch into an apple. Immediately, the child kicked, clawed, and scratched at the hand keeping him adrift. It was no use. The boy's plump red skin drained, sinking against his bones, his nutrients stolen from his natural luster. The husk did not stop. He drank and drank and drank. All the while, each face that appeared on him like a mask cried out and died. Death upon death. Five, six, eleven, thirty-three. Schrodinger was a shell, a thing with white clothes hanging from strings. If he even lived, there was no certainty for the echoes of his screams still hung around the warehouse, there but not there. The husk was now again the other timeline's Alucard. There were no more faces swimming around his extremities. No more battles. Once Schrodinger's body blipped away, popping out of existence, that was when Alucard wept his tears of swollen blood. His hand was still held out as if he were holding the boy.

"I'm coming," he whispered. He fell to his hands and knees, heaving, and then was still. Lorelei paced over to the being on the floor. Who would she find in the place of the vampire master?

This was Alucard now. The one meant for this timeline only. He shook his head, clearing the frenzy that must have been clattering inside of his skull.

"Alucard, I that you? The actual you?" Walter ventured over to his friend. The vampire master had grown a new limb to replace the one the butler accidentally removed somewhere in the frenzy of what just happened . Lorelei kept an eye on the Major and the Doctor. They were both statues in their shock. The Doctor was particularly aghast, for his pet had been demolished right before him and so easily at that. The jury had come back. Schrodinger's cat was dead.

"Yes, Walter. I am myself. At least, that is the hope." The vampire master straightened his knees, standing once more.

As if to catch them off guard, the Doctor whipped a gun from his back pocket. He shook like a tree in a hurricane, but foolishly aimed the weapon at Alucard. He tried to pull the trigger, but redirected his efforts towards the butler's back instead. He must have had second thoughts. Lorelei growled, her throat humming with pain as she did so, and snatched her throwing blades. She countered the Doctor by throwing her own stock at his forehead. Her blade hit the mark, slicing right between his eyes and severing the ocular device. The beanstalk of a Doctor fell to the floor, dead. As if in a dance, a tango, Walter began moving, turning to string up his wires. They dangled around the Major, catching him in the butler's spider's web like so many others before. Alucard shakily smoothed out his red jacket, knowing what had to be done. Again, the vampire master stalked over to his prey only this time, the intent on his face was his own. No tortured souls to be seen.

"Alas, I have no blood for you to dine upon, Alucard." The Major was somehow able to still shrug and smile his smug smile in the midst of the web. "If you bite into my flesh, I am afraid that there will be something different there to greet you."

"Will you cease with your inane prattle? You've given me a severe headache just from your pig's whine alone," Walter tugged at his wires, tightening the Major's limbs. The butler feigned a pain in his head by slightly brushing his shoulder across his forehead when the true pain was still pounding around his hip and foot.

"Should I slash off his lips to silence him, Alucard?" Lorelei over eagerly flashed around her shiny metal sword, gripping the hilt with ease.

"No, woman. I shall handle the swine." Alucard's teeth flashed in the overhead light, glimmering in their dangerous capacity for destruction. After his possession from the other Alucard, this one was slightly worse for wear. He limped as he drew closer to the Major, but this infirmity did not take away from his bestial nature. In fact, his odd determination to overcome his pain and weakness only to end the life of one man was something straight from a horror story. A vengeful ghost set upon the life of one man until he eventually screamed for mercy upon deaf ears.

Something of the situation must have finally dawned upon the Major, whether it was the crumpled body of his companion or the erasure of the cat, Lorelei didn't care t know. The Major's smile slipped. The act was only for the barest of moments, but it was there all the same. Alucard had the upper hand, and that unnerved the man. He had planned for twenty years and was prepared to wait thirty more to strike when the vampire was most vulnerable. But now, the pawn in this game was the Major himself.

"I am not going to be taking whatever you account for blood today," Alucard seethed. "I am after something far more precious than your copper." Behind his large glasses one could see the Major's eyes widen in realization. This Alucard knew the motivation behind the Major's actions because Walter was able to relay all of what he learned of the man to him. Alucard knew of the Major's need to best him one soul to his many. The Major here was still driven by that one goal, and now that the vampire master somehow understood, that he somehow discovered the Major's fear, that was when the man began to panic.

"No. No. No, no, no!" The Major squealed. "Don't do it! I must be myself. I have to be me and only me. Don't, Alucard, no!" But the vampire master was unable to hear those pleas. His own mind was clouded with memories not just from his own timeline but the others as well. He knew that when he grasped the Major's wiggling shoulders and sank his teeth into the man's neck that there would be resistance. He knew that when he pulled at the broken flesh that there would be no blood. He also knew that if he let the Major be, then he really would be a monster that humanity had claimed him to be. And so he dug deep, searching, rooting with his fangs until he found the Major's soul. It was inky black, unappetizing, and swelling with terror, but Alucard tugged hard, taking the thing from the Major's body into his own. There was some resistance. The Major had a strong will. Almost as strong as Alucard's. The key word being _almost_.

Walter and Lorreleiwatched in an odd fascination as the screeching Major suddenly became limp. One moment he was a twitching bug and the next, he was just...nothing. The tantamount climax, the moment the trio had been chomping at the bit for, all of those years of suffering and conflict, all concluding to not even a whimper. Not even one sound. The man known as the Major was no more. He had been taken into his eternal Hell, joining the souls within Alucard, the No Life King. Walter let his wires fly, and the heavy, almost metallic clang from the Major's contact with the floor below jolted the trio's stunted senses.

"What a way to go," Lorelei commented. She sheathed her sword and came over to Alucard to inspect him. "Are you alright? You didn't get food poisoning from that swine, did you?" She scrunched her nose in apparent disgust.

"No, woman. Although he did taste like rotten pig flesh." Alucard smiled. "Humans and their persistence to become powerful has always been a game. Some lose and others lose even worse. I lost a long time ago. The Major was the closest to winning I had ever witnessed." The vampire master bent to touch the blank Major's corpse. "I would have never gone as far as this one. His drive, his eagerness almost brought him to victory." He rapped his knuckles across the puncture wounds he delivered upon the Major's throat. There it was again. A metal clang. Lorelei and Walter joined Alucard in their curiosity.

"I knew the man was insane, but I was not aware that he was this insane," Walter mused as he viewed the mess before him.

"He was a robot? He did well hiding that," Lorelei scoffed.

"I was able to discern what the other Alucard saw after he perished drinking Schroginer's blood. He hovered in existence when the Major of his timeline fell under the hand of Integra and let me know of t Major's weaknesses. I instantly saw my chance to cast the Major into purgatory just as he did with the other Alucard. An eye for an eye." He chuckled, shrugging his large shoulders.

"But wait," Lorelei placed a hand on Walter. "Wait, we can't settle down yet. The Captain still has Oliver. We have to get back to Arthur and Rip Van Winkle before the Captain hurts them!"

"Shit, you're right," Alucard growled. They couldn't reveal in the Major's odd determination any longer. He didn't deserve any more of their precious time. Not anymore. Never again.

"We'll leave the trash behind for now," Walter indicated the Major and the Doctor's shriveled bodies. "We must make haste and save the Master."


	15. Part Fifteen: Wedding

Quick Author's Note:

Good day (or night or morning) to you, reader! This has been my pet project for a while to prove to myself that I could create a well paced novel-length manuscript. As such, this was originally not meant for others. And yet, why write a pretend novel to test my skill if no one was to read it? Thus, _Tied_ was born. Please keep in mind that I have tweaked some minor details and am aware that I have. Some events or descriptions may not accurately align with the manga or anime.

Also, I have this as mature for some pretty good reasons. There's violence, language, and _sexual relations_. You, good reader, have been warned.

Please enjoy your read. Have you heard? There's a wedding today…See you on the flip side.

Part Fifteen: Wedding

"I'm afraid what we shall discover once we arrive. The Master was quite inebriated, and it didn't help that we guided him along," Walter clenched his injured hands twice until they dropped to his side. The trio rounded a corner where the illumination from the street lamps bounced off of their profiles, leaving ghastly shadows to accentuate the entirely wrong parts of their faces. It did not hurt that they were all terrified for the safety of their comrade, drawing ghastly caricatures from the plainest action such as the blink of an eye. Lorelei bumped her shoulder to the butler's in an empty effort of comfort.

"Even inebriated, he's still a bang up shot," she offered. Her turquoise eyes crinkled with concern when Walter frowned. She didn't need him to tell her. She already was aware of what the werewolf demon could accomplish when face to face with a lone human. Arthur could be sushi for all they knew. She shook her head clear of the foolish imagery of her fake fiancé sliced into fine pieces and rolled into white grains of rice with a side of ginger and wasabi. Don't forget to add a cigar stuck into that mess. Lorelei bit her lip to avoid gnawing at her nails. There was no time for folly.

"I've also instructed Rip Van Winkle to protect him at all costs. She's still quite damaged and weak, but she has more in her than one could easily assume," Alucard growled. His human companions jumped. The master vampire had unknowingly cloaked himself in the fresh husk of the night leaving them with the impression that he had moved ahead without them through the aid of wisps and shadows. He cocked his head like a confused fox. His wounds were long sealed and healed. Only the mental scars of what occurred tonight would remain. This rapid rush was costing him nothing while his companions urged their worn bodies onwards. Walter sniffed from his frustration. Although he returned to his youthful body, that didn't mean it was invincible. His hip still ached, and running on a severed toes was no walk in the park.

"Yes, as in falling asleep on the job like her namesake. Honestly, why would she name herself such an inadequate moniker?" The bar where Lorelei and Walter drugged Arthur came into view. The sounds of regular humans enjoying their night in a drunken haze, unknowingly supping next to the corpses of those who wished them harm (The Major, Doctor, Luke Valentine, and Zorin,) dulled just as soon as they were heard. Lorelei cracked her knuckles in the building anticipation. She saw, just like Walter, the carnage the Captain could summon. Even in her bloodied state, she still felt the thrill of needing to cut down a powerful enemy. If only Arthur wasn't the collateral if time was not on their side.

"Maybe because she thinks she'll send her enemies to the ultimate sleep?" Lorelei answered Walter's previous pondering. Both men stared at the vampire hunter like she had grown taller and proclaimed herself a giant. "What? You asked. Excuse me if I'm feeling a little poetic." Lorelei huffed and drove forward. The men followed.

They arrived at their meeting place. Despite Arthur's need to spend as much money as one possibly could in one lifetime, they had managed to arrange their meeting area in a relatively unknown location. That meant dirt and grime, but it also meant a safer haven to hide if their enemies had proved to be more difficult than they first would have considered. Unfortunately, the Captain sweeping out Arthur's hidden nook was an example of their plan going horribly wrong. Walter wasted no time in swinging open the door that led into the abandoned hovel. The rich scent of molding wooden floor boards hit the two humans and they coughed involuntarily. Alucard only sneered at the depravity.

They arrived just in time. Just in time to see a hulking beast dive right at their friend. Arthur! The furry gray werewolf lunged, covering the man with his bulk, and pinning him to the floor.

"Master!" Walter snarled.

"Arthur!" Lorelei gasped.

There was a scuffle as a flash of something shiny caught by the light of the stars whipped upwards. The Captain moved. Inch by inch, his body convulsed as if he was aiming to leap up and decapitate all in the room. Lorelei palmed her silver knuckles and she saw Walter parrot her movements with wires. The slight screech of a wolf's yelp was confusing until Arthur pushed the Captain off of him and wearily stood up. There was a black stain of blood spread entirely across his chest. Lorelei followed his line of sight and saw a silver dagger sticking from the Captain's chest cavity. The werewolf's shimmering eyes gazed happily into the corner of the derelict house. Lorelei didn't know if one could find joy in the dust motes and cobwebs the house provided, but the Captain seemed to be in complete euphoria. He twitched, gasped, and lay still. A dribble of warm blood trickled from the corner of his transformed mouth. The werewolf was dead.

Arthur brushed his chest and grimaced when some of the blood staining his front smeared across his fingers. He flicked them and then grinned sheepishly at his three friends who stood rooted to their spots at the entrance, dumbstruck.

"Ah, well, I see this might seem a bit messy, but I most assure you, I have this entirely under control." Arthur watched as Walter, Lorelei, and Alucard all directed their gazes at the other, breathing form crumpled on the moldering ground not just a yard away from him. He cleared his throat and dug around in his pocket. The man's golden eyes were rimmed with red, they must have been aching, and his hair had grown greasy from the many times he had scrubbed his hands through those locks of blonde hair. "Mostly under control," he corrected himself.

"What happened to Rip Van Winkle?" Walter ventured. The figure on the floor had her face bruised all the way from her brow to her chin. She must have slammed into the broken dining room table, smashing the dusty vase that lay next to her in the process.

"Just a bump on the noggin. Nothing to worry about, she did fantastic," Arthur removed his case of cigars from his pocket and popped the lid open selecting one. He tapped the cigar on the case but realized that he did not have a lighter on him. He cursed under his breath but still stuck the cigar between his lips. Another person slipped out from behind Arthur and into the light provided by a window with its dusty drapes cast to the floor. There was a familiar sparkle of icy blue eyes and Lorelei brightened. She stepped closer as she returned her silver knuckles into her overcoat.

"Oliver!"

"Yes, I am here," the woman bowed her head. She smiled elegantly, briefly glancing at Arthur from under her lashes.

"Am I the only one with enough sense to ask what occurred?" Alucard growled. He had sauntered over to where Rip Van Winkle lay in a broken heap. He tapped his black boot against her rib cage as if to test if she was worth any more trouble. She did not stir. The master vampire sighed and bent down, grabbing the female vampire and hoisting her over his shoulder. The dust she accumulated from the floor transferred to Alucard's shoulder and he flicked the mess off with his free thumb.

"I was getting to that," Arthur almost countered petulantly. Walter closed the door behind him and leaned up against its paneling. He crossed his arms and inclined his head at his Master.

"Yes, yes, yes. Right. First, I need to sit. Being almost mauled to death can zap one's energy, you can understand, right?" Arthur stretched and sauntered over to a piece of furniture that barely passed for a chair. He sat down and sighed. After chewing the end of his cigar in what was obvious in grief, he put the item back in its case and straight into his pocket.

"Listen closely because I am only going to relate this story once to you blokes." Lorelei backed up to stand next to Walter to share in his warmth. The weather was becoming frigid and this broken down house snug in the middle of two down trodden shops wasn't doing a thing to help in the warming up department. "You see, one moment there was some child here sneering about how the Major was going to live on through him. That I had no chance in escaping. That all the people I held close would become rotting corpses plump with bot flies, yadda yadda yadda. Typical villain speech except it came from the mouth of a child. Creepy, that." Arthur rolled his shoulders from the shudder that gripped him. Oliver padded over to him until they were side by side. "The kid then tampered with a device that made poor Rip turn into a blue flamed pyre. Smelled terrible. To be honest, right there I thought I was actually going to die by the light of a roasting Rip. Not only that, but I kept unloading my gun into the kid's skull. He just popped back into existence each time his brais scattered, unscathed." That would explain the brain matter on the wall…

"The child's name was Schrodinger. He was some gross reproduction of Schrodinger's cat in the flesh," Walter supplied in context. Lorelei recalled the way the boy shriveled due to Alucard's wicked plot. How the child, Schrodinger's flesh shrunk and fell from his very bones. She shook her head. What an end.

"I see. That would make some sense. I think." Arthur scratched his head. To be honest, Lorelei did not one hundred percent understand the complexities of what occurred that night or what Schrodinger actually was. It was nice that Arthur was also caught in the paradox of the cat eared boy. "Well, at some point I blinked and the kid Schrodinger was gone. Vanished. In his place was some gruesome beast, a werewolf I presume, and Oliver right behind him. Rip had come back to life, too. She began fighting the monster like she hadn't been a pile of ashes not a few seconds prior. They had a terrible tumble resulting in poor Rip being swung onto the floor and cracking her head." Arthur gestured to the Captain's still form. He was pointing at the handle of the silver dagger.

"See right there? Oliver had that hidden away in her clothes as if she knew something like this would hap…" Arthur blinked and shook his head, chagrined. "Well, got me there. I suppose she _did_ know that the fight would be a possible outcome of today."

"I took a brief and quick look into your head while I was taken hostage. Before then, I tried not to invade on others' privacy. I wanted to be someone new. Turn over a new leaf as the saying goes," Oliver shrugged her shoulders almost akin to Arthur's movements. Her close cut hair shimmered from her languid actions. The night had not stolen her beauty nor the deadly precision in the way she held herself despite her painful injuries and bruises.

"No need to apologize, wolf-girl. You saved my life and Rip's. Without your great throwing skills, I wouldn't have been able to use the silver dagger to kill him," Arthur fake punched her on her bicep but then patted it softly to avoid actually hurting her. She grinned from ear to ear.

"Was that your fist werewolf kill?" Lorelei blurted out. She covered her mouth. Lorelei couldn't help it. Sometimes she just needed the details then and there and Arthur didn't seem like he was the type to go out and slaughter werewolves. Ghouls, yes. Vampires, with the right weapons. Definitely lycanthropes. But werewolves?

"Lorelei, do you take me as a greenhorn? No, I've killed a few in my lifetime." Arthur puffed out his chest.

"As I recall, it was more Alucard and I saving your arse," Walter drawled. He was smirking his usual devilish smirk. Seeing Arthur in one piece and on top of that, Lorelei alive, a tremendous burden had been cast away. A burden that had festered for too long. He grabbed Lorelei's small hand and and squeezed it. She stared up at him, knowing that this war had been knocked off of the rails for good. Maybe there would be more lackeys that would follow the Major to the death, or maybe not. The first and hopefully last step had been taken. That would have to be enough for now. And it would be if they had each other.

"Weren't you the one who jumped five feet in the air when a dog barked during that one covert mission in Italy?" Alucard supplied. He heaved Rip back up to better position her.

"Ehem, details. Details." Arthur tapped his fingers on his knee. "In any case, enough about my perilous showdown with big ol' fluffy there. What about you three? How did your assignment proceed? Care to exchange stories about our scars?"

…

"This feels odd. Isn't this odd? It's odd." Lorelei fidgeted in her elegant gown. She never truly felt comfortable in dresses since the day Oliver had been taken hostage a couple months prior and had a strict dress code containing as listed; a tank top, bell bottom pants, shorts, boots, a trench coat, belts, and socks. Dresses weren't part of the equation any longer. Thus why the sea foam mermaid cut wedding dress with all its feminine wonder made certain patches of Lorelei's fair skin itchy. She was told by Walter that Arthur had seen her interest in the gown before all hell broke loose in the bridal shop. Arthur had left Walter to find a way to get Lorelei's measurements. Although she couldn't quite recall how he got the exact fit, she understood very well the means of how Walter set upon said task. Rembering that certain event made her tomach clench.

Lorelei watched herself in the mirror. She smiled. The reflection, all powders and paint, smiled back. She drew back her teeth and growled at the pretty picture. Her befreckled mirror doppelgänger grimaced back. That was better. Oliver tugged at the coil of red hair she was taming and wound the strand into a braided crown at the nape of Lorelei's neck. The older woman wore a bridesmaid gown the shade of a red leaves during fall. The way the frothy silk hugged Oliver's form enhanced every minuscule movement she took. If anything, she should be the one to walk down the aisle. What's with continuing this farce if everyone, even Alucard, knew that Oliver was the soulmate for Arthur? Oh. Yes, everyone except the triplets and Richard. Lorelei slumped in her chair. That earned a tiny slap from her makeup and hair artist.

"Do not worry, Miss Richford. The wedding is only for pretend. We'll root out those cousins of Arthur's and any other cohorts once and for all," Oliver snapped. Lorelei cringed but knew that her friend was not angry. Oliver kept most of her fluttery and sweet gestures for Arthur. All others earned her brisk growls of retorts. That suited Lorelei fine. At times she would see Oliver and remember the woman who cast her into a living purgatory with Walter. Lorelei would feel the remnants of hatred towards the person responsible for the hurt that had chained Walter for nearly forty decades. She'd watch how Oliver would hold Arthur's hand and recognize the churning in her gut was akin to the feeling that usually precluded a vampire killing. Her grudge was difficult to shake. Oliver's short nature towards others usually helped in forgiving this woman who only desired to better herself, and Lorelei would have to berate herself. What use was it to be sinister to a woman who had no memory of her past, wicked self?

Plus, the man who drove Oliver into her dark path, the Major, had been dealt with. He was dead. Sure, some of his underlings did escape. Lorelei, Walter, Alucard, and Rip Van Winkle had been sent to clean up after the nasty Nazi robot's leftovers. Not only did they have to play cleanup crew, but the trio plus one still needed to sort out the cacophony staining the rivers of the continent thanks to the lycanthrope's attempts at breeding a new race. Thanks to Sir Irons's connections, the Knights of the Round Table and Lorelei's and Walter's contribution of the stolen vial from the Poet, scientists were able to concoct an antidote. Now all that had to be done was to disburse said antidote. Lorelei sighed.

 _That just leads us into another turn in the road. We have to root out whatever malignant lycanthropes who are still trying to follow Oliver's orders. The list never ends and we're having a wedding of all things._

"Miss Richford? I thought we were on a first name basis, Missus Hellsing?" Lorelei asked Oliver. The bride fiddled with her golden engagement band beset with the ridiculous faceted ruby.

"Phft, we are not married. And in addition, I thought that you might want to hear your maiden name one last time." Lorelei saw Oliver shrug. Again, that was something she picked up from Arthur.

"Oh boy. What happened to _it's only for pretend_?" Lorelei muttered. She drummed her fingers on the vanity's edge. Did she get some lipstick on her right canine? No, couldn't worry about the details now. Her foot nervously tapped a rhythm on the marbled floor which created an unpleasant clatter. She ceased in time to realize that she had not put on perfume. Her pits were terrible. She dove for the bottle of amber liquid sitting at the corner of the table and squeezed the pump. A tremendous cloud of misty perfume encased her and Oliver. They wheezed from the sudden impact. Lorelei pondered if she could use perfume as a weapon in one of her missions. This stuff was potent.

"May I aid in anything?" Came a voice from the corner. Lorelei's gaze slid over to Rip Van Winkle. She was dressed in her usual formal suit with a red kerchief to match Oliver's bridesmade attire. She, too, seemed as much out of her element as Lorelei. The wretched thing. She had not taken well to becoming Alucard's underling and was still not up to her full fighting potential. Her magical bullets were stagnant and her strength diluted. Still, Alucard said in his usual mysterious manner that Rip Van Winkle was worth his odd choice of saving her.

"No, but where is your Master? Is Alucard going to sleep through the whole wedding?"

"He's in his position. I'm his eyes and ears for now. That's all I can do until I regain my strength. If I regain it." Rip, as Arthur nick named her, kicked at nothing in particular on the floor. She slumped over and pouted. Oliver tsked. They had talked about how Rip needed to sit up straight before. The female vampire cringed and straightened her back. Oliver nodded without even looking at Rip. The former lycanthrope alpha continued to add the finishing touches to Lorelei's wild red mane.

"Alright. Then, whew, a little jittery. I know this wedding is a farce, but that doesn't mean getting cold feet is out of the question," Lorelei huffed. There. Oliver was done with her handiwork. She somehow made Lorelei's hair crown glitter as if there were jewels emblazoned on the sides. Wait. Lorelei leaned forward and furrowed her brow. There _were_ jewels attached in her hair. Talk about over doing it.

"Stop frowning. You'll ruin your make up," Oliver snapped. Lorelei obeyed and screwed up her face into something believably happy. Oliver sighed. "Your mother startled you when she suddenly showed up two nights ago, didn't she? Don't worry. I know your marriage means a lot to her and her happiness in turn is treasured. You won't let her down by not choosing Arthur." Oliver patted Lorelei's hand until she realized that it was coated in nervous sweat.

"Thanks," the vampire hunter smiled. Somehow, the show needed to go on, and she might be late if she dawdled any further. "Okay. Here we go." Rip floundered to grasp the bouquet and pass the bundle to Lorelei who promptly caught the flower stems just as they slipped out of Rip's fumbling digits. The bride nodded kindly at her lanky new companion who scratched her head in turn. Oliver nudged Lorelei's back and all three departed from the temporary safe haven where people didn't get married, fake or not.

Despite Arthur's flare for spending more than what an occasion needed, case in point his rental Ferrari's, he did a pleasant job keeping the wedding modestly small. He invited just the right amount of guests to attend in a quant chapel. His and Lorelei's core and extended family were seated up front in neat, tidy rows. Friends and guests were also invited and prompted to attend. There were the Knights of the Round table, Sir Irons, Lorelei's mother's beaming smile, the comrades from _Defang_ usually who provided her weapons, a few of Arthur's nighttime friends, the triplets plus Richard, a guest of which Alucard may have mentioned (Lorelei would have to keep an eye on that woman with pale green eyes,) Arthur's chum Tolkien, and that could be the Queen hidden in the shadows on the overhanging balcony with her body guards. Oh god. The Queen? At this faux wedding? Lorelei's grip on her silly bouquet tightened to the point where it would have popped a vampire's head if the stems were a throat. Killing vampires. She would rather be killing vampires right now more than anything. Up front was Arthur and right beside him was the best man, Walter C. Dornez, the Angel of Death. Alright. Now she wanted to make love with the Hellsing butler more than anything. Killing vampires just dropped to second place.

Arthur wore an off gray suit that looked scratchy and didn't even match with her wedding dress. Maybe he forgot that the red kerchiefs were for the bridesmaids and best man. That had to be it. His sharp, eagle's features were dead set upon her. Or, wait, on the woman over her shoulder, Oliver.

Lorelei blinked and took a closer look at Walter. He was in a jet black suit, hair held up in the half pony tail style she had fixed the first night they spent together. He was clean and crisp with a sea foam tie affixed to his attire. His posture was as still as a placid pond, and his intense violet and silver attention blazed a line right towards her tumbling pace. She could barely hear the usual trumpet of the _Wedding March_ played by a trio of violin, viola, and cello. The cloying scent of that damnable perfume clung to her nostrils and she would have rather smelled her pits if she could at least have a whiff of Walter's unique honey and clover body odor. Ah, and there was his own way of displaying that he was just as nervous as she. His right pointer finger spasmed either from the want of throwing out a wire or two, or to take a cigarette and to plop it into his mouth. Neither were appropriate for such a setting, however.

As Lorelei neared where the two men were perched like some type of well dressed statues, Arthur made an about face, sauntered around Walter, passed Lorelei, and locked arms with Oliver. The couple then veered off course and into two open seats at the front of the reception. Lorelei gaped. She couldn't help it. There was a murmuring in the crowd behind her, and her cheeks began to heat. Did Arthur just leave her at the alter? Did Sir Fucking Arthur Hellsing really leave her at the damn alter? Before she could turn and maul Arthur's smug smirk from his insufferable profile, Walter quirked one arched eyebrow. He knew that Lorelei could never resist that particular gesture. She gulped and sidled up next to him. There it was. There was that delectable scent of warm honey and strong clover.

"Hello there, Poppet. You are a vision," Walter bent to purr in her right ear. She bit her lip to keep from kissing him on the spot. His voice was extra low, sensuous, and with just the right amount of rumble. Could he be kind enough to turn the hormones down? She had to concentrate hard not to jump him. Hard. Oh God, she had to wipe that image of copulating in a bathtub away before the situation arrived at critical. She swallowed to moisten her parched tongue.

"T-thank you, Walter. But…why did Arthur ditch me? Aren't I to get fake married to him? Wasn't that the plan?" She whispered from the corner of her mouth. As such, her mutterings were only discernible to the dutiful butler.

"That _was_ what you were told, wasn't it?" Walter grinned. Lorelei saw the boy she first met flash in his insane smirk, and her stomach tightened.

"Told?!" She barked. Her outburst echoed and bounced off of every structure in the area. The string trio stopped just at that time, leaving the remaining screeches to die comically down. Lorelei took a deep, calming breath and smiled. She asked in the most even voice she could manage,"Told, was I? Told, right? Alright, what am I missing? What in the world is going on here?"

"Obviously, your wedding," Walter said evenly. When Lorelei threatened to create another ruckus, he laughingly shook his head and briefly touched her arm. Just that soft contact was all she need to smooth her feathers. The butler corrected himself and told her, "Our wedding."

"Our…oh." Lorelei's stomach plummeted to well beyond her feet. Maybe somewhere down in the magma crust of the earth. Just when were they planning on telling her that this wasn't a faux wedding? That this one was _for real_ , for real. How long had they had this set out? She held onto her bouquet with her left hand and snatched Walter's fingers with her right. Then she got onto her tip toes to whisper into her fiancé's (apparently he was the fiancé dammit) perfectly cupped ear. "You are damn lucky I love you Walter C. Dornez, because anyone else would have had his face caved in." And it was also in Walter's good graces that Lorelei's taste in what she found attractive about the butler's body, that particular curve of his waist clothed just so by a vest and undershirt, were exceptionally delicious today.

"I shall take that as an acceptance of my proposal."

"It's as much of one as you're going to get."

Lorelei redirected her positioning in order to see for the first time who was going to be the lucky priest to marry them. Out of all the people Arthur could have chosen, actually, out of all the _sane_ people he could have chosen, the Hellsing leader just had to pick out the unstable and questionable Alexander Anderson. What did he have to do to bribe the Pope to even have Anderson step foot into Great Britain willingly? Or was this last action a part of some comradely gesture. If so, why couldn't the Pope have helped during the whole Major dilemma? Apparently, just marrying someone did not discrete any newly formed treaty. Something told Lorelei that neither man, Arthur nor Anderson, would divulge the answers she justly yearned for. She resigned herself to just living with the mystery and gave herself to the moment.

"Glad it's you two I see before me," Anderson rumbled. He didn't bother to change out of his usual vampire hunting slash everyday attire. "You're the ones always googling their eyes at each other. I tell ya it was disgustin' to witness. Just tie the knot an' keep it in the bedroom, will ye?"

"Thank you for coming, Anderson," Lorelei whispered back. The tall priest's round glasses flashed, and he thumbed open the pristine bible he plucked from wherever he kept it on his person.

"Is this some kind of joke?!" Burst an outraged cry from the audience. Lorelei pursed her lips. She would not have minded the little outcry if this had still been a fake wedding between her and Arthur, but the circumstances had changed. She knew that there would be some sort of disturbance during the wedding, and said disturbance would have most likely been aimed at her to hurt Arthur's chance of continuing his heritage. The game had however changed. Lorelei ground her teeth and squeezed Walter's hand.

"No, I'm afraid not," the butler gently answered the rude wedding guest. His eyes flashed silver betraying the calm demeanor he was strict on adapting.

"You're afraid not? Oh, you are afraid not?" Yes, that was definitely Emma Hellsing. The Medusa of the dinner table. And once more, the woman believed that olive green was for sure her color. The combination of her heart shaped face and baby blue eyes might have been a good one when she was twenty, but now? Nope. Especially not with her mixture of gray and straw blonde hair tied up into a beehive. Yuck.

"We've been waiting all this time. All this blooming time," chimed in the sister, Louise, with her somewhat squeaky voice. She appeared to be doomed to mimic her sister's ambitions. Thankfully, she did not follow in her sister's footsteps in the fashion department. She used her older age to wear a graceful, frilled shawl the color of cream. If circumstances might have been different, Louise could have been a strong, good woman.

"Shh, quiet Louise." That was Arnold. He was still seated while his ridiculous sisters were on their feet. They were holding up their arms as if they were going to get into fisticuffs. The entire situation would have been hilarious if it weren't for the certain red gleam glittering in the triplets' expressions. Lorelei hoped that Richard would try and join in to condemn himself, but he sat with his large hand covering his mustache in embarrassment. Alright, so it would seem that Richard suddenly had standards. Interesting and complicated.

"No, I will not _shh_! She should have died when that bomb exploded! And our plans are ruined again because of, of _this_!" Louise squeaked again. Scrap that idea about Louise possiblely being a good person when introduced to another lifestyle.

"What were you three, my lovely cousins, planning? Were you going to harm Lorelei Richford on her most important day, her wedding?" Arthur stood. He attempted to act wounded, but the upturn to his mouth and the crazy twitch under his brow convinced no one. The other guests began to murmur. What was going on? They were invited to witness Arthur's marriage, not his butler's. Why were Arthur's cousins so upset? And, what was that little detail something to do with a bomb?

"Don't act shocked. You were counting on this, weren't you, you weasel. Well, you've got us now no thanks to Louise," Emma glared at her sister who only glared back, "But not before we destroy this entire place with you and your so called fiancée in it!" Emma swirled to face the guest who Lorelei had marked to watch. This guest wore a tight ebony dress making her hair, the same shade as Lorelei's wedding dress, seem to glow in waves around her perfectly shaped cheeks. Large doe eyes and sweetheart shaped plump lips sharpened with a scowl.

"Darla, do it!" Arnold seethed. He gave up attempting to sever association with his sisters and eagerly shot to his feet.

"Oh, so it would seem that Alucard didn't kill Darla like he believed," Lorelei commented to Walter as if she were witnessing a television drama unfold. Walter sighed and patted her hand lovingly.

"It would seem as such. Arthur did suspect that the triplets were in contact with the lycanthropes." Walter inclined his head, "This Darla has a detonator."

"She's not pressing the button though." Lorelei traced the path to where Darla's true intentions lay. The lycanthrope was staring slack jawed at Oliver as if all the Gods and Goddesses of the world had congregated right there at Lorelei's wedding. There were salty tears forging paths down the lycanthrope's features. She did indeed posses a tiny black device containing a few button and levers. The item shook in her palm.

"But, that's…that's Oliver over there, isn't it? My alpha!" Darla's seductive lilt trembled. Her breathing was rapid. If she wasn't careful, she would accidentally transform into her other self, the gray pelted beast set with sizable fangs and claws.

"It doesn't matter now, Darla. Our lot has been drawn. Press the trigger," Emma bared her teeth. Her spittle flew and splattered on the guest a seat away.

"I can't. Oliver is the alpha. I only found you three to complete her work. I thought that she was trying to help you…Oliver, weren't you?" Darla got up and crossed over the aisle to stand next to Oliver. Arthur slipped his hand into his jacket, most likely being precautions and gripping his gun. Lorelei dropped her bouquet and saw Walter's shoulders tense. Anderson traced a passage of the Bible with a toothpick, uninterested. Rip Van Winkle plucked a flower from a vase next to her station and ground the petals into a pasty pulp. Oliver stayed seated.

"Your name is Darla? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have no recollection of my past before Arthur was kind enough to take me in. Were you my confidant?" Again, she was short and to the point.

"Garner was, but we were friends of a sort." Oliver and Darla stared down one another. There was a tense pause until Oliver lifted her chin. Some sort of wolf stare down was going on and Lorelei was missing all the cues. She would later have to study on wolf pack hierarchy because it was clearly in use right here, right now. Darla smiled, eyes crinkling. Oliver must have done something right to produce such a dazzling result. "Okay. You know what? Always thought Garner was a dick anyway. I never liked him and only did what he said because of you. Now you, you I shall follow. What are my alpha's intentions? How shall I serve you once more?"

"I am certain that we are going to have a nice long talk. There's going to be a few changes." Oliver smiled, and her short hair glowed like a halo. Darla yipped, clearly uninterested in hiding her wolfish tendencies.

"Will you both can it. Damn it, give me that!" Arnold snapped. Both Darla and Oliver broke out of the spell cast around them and stared at the enraged Hellsing triplet. Darla glanced at her hand where she previously was holding the detonation device. It was no longer in her possession. Arnold must have swiped it while she dazedly traipsed over to Oliver. The female lycanthrope growled, her lips peeling back in anger revealing inhuman canines. Arnold lifted up the device as a means for control over the beast. She huffed at the man.

The triplets slowly backed up towards the exit. Arnold toyed with the buttons and levers to keep off any of the guests who tried to be heros. There were the beginnings of hysterics from the guests which was only tamed by how calm and collected Arthur presented himself. Lorelei was sure if the supposed man of the day went crazy and pled for his life, that would have taken the cake. Luckily, the guests were still dazed from the switch in grooms and sudden reunion between Oliver and Darla.

"Say goodbye Arthur, you arsehole!" Louise yelled. Arnold switched a lever and Lorelei couldn't help but watch Richard's betrayed expression. He looked as if he ate a spoiled lemon. His comrades had just condemned him to an explosion. Richard's upheaval couldn't compare to the triplets' surprise when their little firework display did not go quite as planned as in, nothing happened. Not even a comical _boom_.

"Walter, did you forgot to bring explosives to our wedding?" Lorelei bumped sides with the butler.

"I apologize, Poppet. I believe that we are all we need to ignite the fireworks. Of course, that would be after the wedding. I have something special planned for the honeymoon."

"What?" The triplets yelled in tandem. They took turns in pressing every conceivable button, switch, and lever on their device but to no avail. Nothing so much as smoldered.

"I will not leave this empty handed!" Emma yelped. She dug into the folds of her hideous green dress and revealed a mean looking double barrel musket. Maybe there were a meaning in the chaos of this Medusa's attire afterall. What she didn't know was that her shadow was stretching out behind her. The dark curves of the woman's figure reached out, white gloves, a heated red jacket, and a maniacal booming laughter. As if Alucard heard Lorelei's thoughts of Medusa, the vampire master's hair was bundled into writhing tendrils slithering to and fro. Against his deathly pale skin, the bright pinpricks of his ruby irises basked in a eerie, luminescent light, belonged to a demon.

"I think not, little human," Alucard chuckled. He snatched the musket from Emma's trembling hands and bent the barrel with only his pointer finger and thumb. "Filth should not be playing with toys. My underling did you three a gracious favor of disarming the little trinkets we let you hide away in this hall." Alucard jerked in what was assumed to be a shrug. In his frezy, he resembled more a twitch, long legged spider with the added bonus of crazy hair that blew in the nonexistent breeze. He showed of his impressive white fangs by smirking at the cowering triplets.

"Is that a bloody vampire? When were you gits going to spill on this certain piece of valuable information?" Anderson's attention had been gained back. In his hands were sharpened spades and there was the start of a hysterical chuckle bubbling from the man's massive chest.

"And is that an underling from the Vatican? I come to see my friends' wedding and am treated to this piece of hypocritical trash?" Alucard cast away the broken musket. Neither the priest nor the vampire master noticed Louise's quick thinking. She called in reinforcements with yet another device. Men in black burst through stained glass windows and filtered into all of the entrances and exits. They held up machine guns. Alucard sighed and punched Louise right on her horse muzzle of a face. She flew back from the force and the resounding crunch of cartilage breaking was a nice touch. As a second thought, Alucard plucked Arnold and Emma's heads like apples, dangling their bodies in the air, and crashed their skulls together. He flung them to the ground, finished with the nonsense. The triplets still lived, but now they would end up in jail and far away from the Hellsing assets for good.

"Aye, ya bastard. I shall rid your heathenous ways from the Earth!" Anderson leapt away from his post with all of his tricks bursting forth from him. A blade stuck to Alucard's chest, and the vampire master yelled with glee. That was when guests began to take it upon themselves to escape from the melee. All except the Queen viewing the fight from her balcony. She was sighing contently.

"Not now, Anderson. Alucard." Arthur grabbed the sides of his crazy golden hair. "Alucard, dammit. I should have ordered you to stay out of this." The Hellsing head growled and withdrew his gun. "Alucard, don't kill any of these people. I order you to keep them alive! And Anderson, fucking calm the fuck down!"

"Let me help," Oliver offered. She stood to whisper something in Darla's ear. The lycanthrope nodded and transformed into her wolfish form, shiny gray pelt and all. She torpedoed herself at the men in black, using her brute force to knock them out. Lorelei had already sent her mother over to Rip Van Winkle for protection. She couldn't be distracted on whether her mother was alright or not while she ripped these second rate soldiers a new one. Emma wasn't the only one who had surprise weapons. Lorelei sashayed throwing knives out from the cuffs of her dress. Walter had alternately brought out his wires. Together they incompacitated at least thirty of the soldiers while Darla bulldozed half of the rest. Arthur and Oliver were busy shooting the feet or hands of their opponents. Alucard and Anderson however?

"Alucard, stop fighting Anderson!" Lorelei barked at her friend. The master vampire hooted in laughter as a flurry of knives found their mark on his person while a good round of bullets rained into Anderson's calves. The two grown men were having fun _mauling_ each other, curse them.

"Um, Lorelei, did you want me to take your mother somewhere else?" Rip Van Winkle called to the bride. The bride's mother in question had done a number on one of the soldiers by slapping his face with the venue papers. She then ground her heel on his hand once he plummeted down on his side. Lorelei felt a glimmer of pride.

"One moment, I'm busy fighting people in high heels. I can only concentrate on knocking shitters out at the moment." The bride threw five more blades. That took care of the remaining soldiers, and yet there were still the hearty clattering of a scuffle. Walter groaned, straightened his shoulders, and flung out a handful of wires. This action successfully produced an intricate wall between the brawling Alucard and Anderson. Walter tightened the wires as both of the fighter's faces grimaced from their interrupted interlude.

"Anderson please, as a wedding gift to my soon to be wife," the butler hissed between clenched teeth, "Would you just finish the ceremony and leave Alucard alone? You can play with the crazy vampire later." Walter whispered to Lorelei in addition, "Damn, I knew we should have told Arthur to keep them apart," echoing Arthur's very same thoughts.

"What do you mean by _crazy_?" Alucard laughed heartily.

"Exactly what you think. Now either sit down or leave, vampire. I'm trying to become a respectable man by marrying the one I love." There was a tense, nail-bitting worthy pause where Lorelei was certain the two men would ignore her butler's plea and tear the whole structure down around their ears. Alucard was the first to sheathe his weapons. Anderson quickly followed suit.

"Aye, we'll handle this later, I suppose," Anderson grimaced. He marched back up to his station as Alucard plopped down into the front row.

"Thank you," Lorelei sighed.

"Don't get used to it," Alucard said while grinning his best grin yet.

And so, Walter C. Dornez and Lorelei Richford were married under the authority of Alexander Anderson. Lorelei removed her golden engagement ring, gifting the jewelry to Oliver, and replaced the object with the diamond and silver band Walter deftly slipped onto her finger. They were joined with their friends crowded around them; Arthur, Oliver, Darla, Rip Van Winkle, Mrs. Montfort, and most of all, Alucard. Not to mention the piles of knocked unconscious bodies including soldiers, the triplets, and Richard (and the blood, bodily fluids, and broken glass that littered the vicinity.) All other guests had vacated the chapel either to hire a cleanup crew, as Sir Irons did, or in the grip of terror. The Queen and her body guards stayed, later thanking Arthur for the good entertainment.

"You know, Walter? I wouldn't have wanted this day to play out any other way," Lorelei sniffed. Her bouquet was now down to a single daisy.

"Yes, Mistress," the butler beamed as they kissed for the first time as husband and wife. The Angel of Death and his Mistress.

…

"Can I finally open my eyes?" Lorelei sighed. Walter had insisted the moment they disembarked that she should shut her eyes and allow him to guide her to their appointed destination; Operation Honeymoon, to be taken as soon as possible as commanded by Sir Arthur Hellsing. Once upon a time, just the mere thought of letting Walter C. Dornez traipse her anywhere keeping her vision blinded would have made her squirm. She would have rather used her silver knuckles to pop him in the jaw. Now? This man was the only person she would allow to lead her straight into the lands of Hell and Heaven. Either destination did not matter and took second in line as long as Walter was by her side. Together, they could become stronger.

"Come now. It's not like I forced you to keep your eyes shut during the entire flight," Walter cooed into the shell of her ear. He had one strong arm around her waist, guiding her around the full terminal and managing to avoid bumping into the bustle that was surely clustering around them. Lorelei took this opportunity to let her face press into Walter's silk vest and felt the solid thump of his heart. She grinned like a fool. He was her husband. Hers.

"Hmn, you are correct. I do seem to recall a certain someone whisking me from my assigned seat and allowing me to preview tonight's entertainment." Walter had apparently planned that tryst for quite some time. She shuddered knowing that tonight and many nights thereafter would be filled with the activities Walter had purred into her ear that he needed to engage in with her. They turned a few more long stretches that she assumed were hallways. Then, as the sound of a creaking door crashed into her, so did the abundance of humid, salted wind. She bounced on her toes in anticipation.

"As my Mistress says. And yes, you may open your eyes."

Lorelei was exactly one second faster than Walter's instructions. She didn't regret it. Although they were only at the airport terminal and there wasn't much to go by with the commercialization, she instinctually knew where they were.

"Greece? How exotic! It's like you read my mind."

"That's what husbands do," Walter smirked. "And we shall be taking a car to Santorini. There is a small cottage that I've rented for the rest of the week right next to the shore. Although, I predict that our poor neighbors will not receive a good night's sleep with our taking residence," Walter chuckled. Lorelei began to lapse into their usual banter until the butler cut her completely off by hoisting her up and carrying her like the bride she was. She gasped and flung her arms around his neck.

"This feels at home," the vampire hunter hugged her husband.

"It always was."

The couple did take a cabby to Santorini, the shoreside city built from the very color palate of Michelangelo with pure ivory, whites, teals, and turquoise. The buildings were constructed in a way where they seemed to rise in segmented walls delicately designed with arches and curves structures tipped with blue. The ocean was exceptionally crisp and aquamarine, churning with foamy waves smashing into a stoic cliffside. Everything from the cloying sea air to the possibility of unknown adventure parked an energetic hyperness within not only Lorelei, but Walter as well. They took it upon themselves to begin thee first foot of their wedded bliss to visit everything they could from Akrotiri, the remnants of a Bronze Age civilization, to the beaches and hot springs of Therasia. During their hell bent trek, no food was safe; staganaki, moussaka, kolokythoanthoi, tzatziki, yiouvarlakia—everything was eaten. Even the last grape leaf.

"That was only day one!" Lorelei leaned onto Walter's side after experiencing a full schedule from morning to night. They had unlocked their rental cottage and discovered a plain but humble abode. Somehow the bareness of the house was welcomed. It was something they could fill anew. "Actually, we could try to visit the lighthouse at Akrotiri again. I think there was a shut away artillery there that I used to order my weapons from. _Defang_ members loved it there. Maybe you could get some materials while we're here? They have top notch products."

"You've been pretty lively today, Poppet. I wonder, will you continue being so after I've taken you to bed?" Lorelei viewed Walter peel off his gloves with nothing but his teeth while her mouth literally watered. She gulped.

"Those are some awfully bold statements, my butler. How about, can this old man hold up against such liveliness?" She shrugged out of her trench coat, barely conscious enough to give it a quick fold and set it on the cushions of a nearby couch.

"Mistress, you are aware those are fighting words, no?"

"I promise I won't punch you this time."

"Much appreciated."

"Or head butt you."

"Also an event I am pleased to avoid."

"Come here, Angel of Death."

They met in the middle of the open living room, reaching and grasping for one another. Walter cupped her cheeks with both hands encompassing her throat and fine cheek bones. He bent down to meet her hungry lips with his. Their kisses were the crescendo of a storm, crashing into one another like the fury of a hurricane. One after another pounding and pulsing until Walter withdrew his hands to set them free and explore the confines of her body. As he snaked his mouth down to the hollow of her neck leaving nips and trails of saliva from his tongue his fingers traced her bare sides under her tank top. She groaned and pushed away.

"Don't. Need. Clothes," she growled. Walter returned her growl as he was intent on his playful touches. His arousal was tightening his pants, making the black trousers uncomfortable, and yet he did not want to tell his wife that no clothes actually was a grand idea. She hastily pulled her tank top over her torso, her unclothed breasts bouncing into place from the brief disturbance. Walter followed suit and unbuttoned his vest one smooth button at a time until they were both down to their underclothes. Walter had allotted enough time for undressing and could no longer wait. He grasped Lorelei's hips and drove her close, pressing her hot flesh to the puckered scars of his. She sighed and began to let her searing lips travel over her clavicle and dangerously down to his left nipple. Walter shuddered under her playful touch until her lips clamped down, sucked, and then gently bit. The grip on Lorelei's hips strengthened as he pulled her close enough for her to feel the his need hard against her stomach.

The butler guided Lorelei to the couch making her trench coat slip off of the coushins from their movements. Walter instructed her to sit while he sat on her. He paid much attention to not letting his full weight collapse upon her. Thanks to their new positioning, Lorelei was able to remove her butler's boxers and, how did he do this without letting her know, he had relieved her of her own plain panties. There was no time to wonder about the details. Walter's member was ready for attention and how terrible a Mistress would she be if she left his wanted unattended to? She grasped the butler's engorged shaft in both of her deft hands. She pumped him as he gyrated his hips, throwing his head back in ecstasy. He held onto her shoulders but had soon migrated his crafty fingers to shelve her pointed breasts in his palms. Walter flicked his thumbs over the puckered rosebuds that were her nipples. Lorelei grit her teeth, trying to focus on the pleasure blooming at the tip of Walter's dick, but couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. Her core tightened, seething like the raging sea outside of the cottage.

Sweat coated both of their forms and the scent of vanilla and honey merged into that of their hearty love making. Lorelei dipped her head down to suckle at the tip of Walter's dick slick with his precome. Pleasure pulsed down the butler's limbs. He vaguely recalled that his undone hair was sticking to his skin before he knew that he was about to come. He cursed under his breath. Not yet. Walter stroked Lorelei's head and she jerked up, confused. Smirking, Walter took the opportunity to reach down, finding the slippery entrance of her womanhood. She gasped immediately clamping her hands onto his hips, and then as if she just realized she could do this, rested her hands around the curves of his buttocks. A sultry chuckle rumbled in his chest cavity and he continued his exploration of her quivering folds. He brushed his nails softly against her clit, knowing that it was swelling just for him. One, two , three. A few more times until he knew that the window to slip one of his fingers into her was now. He did so, letting his pointer finger burry deep into her. Her walls squeezed around him and then loosened as he drew his finger out and back in. Another finger joined the first and then a third. Lorelei bucked into him, craving the release he was panting up inside. Their sweet sounds of skin slapping together fueled Walter's penetrations until her lover was about to be set free. There. That was what he yearned for.

The butler withdrew almost regretting the mewl of unfulfilled pleasure from his bride until she understood when he had planned next. Still on top of her, he directed his trembling member into her dripping opening. There was a moment of resistance where they held their breathes together, and then he nudged in. She took all of him instantly.

"Don't hold back, butler," Lorelei panted.

"I…wouldn't dream…of it," moaned hoarsely. He pulled almost completely out, squelching from their combined juices, and plunged back in. Lorelei resumed clutching at his buttocks, letting her legs open wider to welcome even more of Walter in. The butler thrust into Lorelei's sopping womanhood over and over, engraining his wife's expressions into his memory. How her cheeks were unknowingly seductive in the heat as red as the deepest of rogue. Her eyes those of an incubus, casting a net to secure him to her always. How her full breasts lifted and fell in his rhythm. Walter snarled and increased his speed, fueled by his want and love for this woman who was finally his. Just his until they no longer could keep their earthly flesh, and even then, he knew their souls were tied.

"Poppet, I love you. Terribly," Walter expelled after they clambered for their climaxes. They had molded to each other on the couch with Lorelei catching her breath on top of him. He rubbed her back in tender strokes of his fingers.

"I love you, too. You've been mine since we've met, whether I knew it or not." She kissed his cheek. There was the start of stubble. It scratched her, but was strangely arousing.

"Have you regained you energy?"

"Hmn?"

"Oh, I was only hoping to show you what an old man is capable of when he plans on pleasuring his wife until she can no longer stay awake from exhaustion."

"Ah?" Lorelei lifted her head in time to catch the hunter in Walter's silver orbs. He grinned almost as evilly as Alucard as he clamped her body to his, flipped his legs over the couch's edge, and carried her bear hug style to the porch.

"Umm, outside?"

"I hear the salt air is good for one's health," Walter replied nonchalantly. Lorelei yelped as Walter opened and then passed through the sliding glass door. They vast quilt of the sky was endowed with the deepest of navy blue with the bright pin pricks of white stars embroidered in a haphazard unity. The muggy breeze from the ocean's shore collected with the tumbling of churning waves calmed Lorelei jumping heart. Always thinking ahead, Walter had snatched his vest from somewhere from the confines of the living room where he last left it and smoothed it out on the wooden, enclosed porch. He lovingly placed Lorelei down on the soft, silky fabric.

"Are you sure? We'll get your vest dirty. That's a promise."

"I _am_ the one who does the laundry in any case. It is a luxury to chose what I want to wash." Walter gently made Lorelei lay down and spread her legs entirely open. She grasped the vest beneath her in each hand, caught in the seduction of the moon caressing Walter's expression. Heavy lidded, lips bruised, and with a bright glow upon his pale skin from sweat, he had her mentally writhing. The butler's face descended until his strong, long nose nudged her sex. She shuddered, still overexcited from their previous joining. Her husband began to lap at her clit using his whole tongue. He cleaned her leaking womanhood, sucking her dry. The texture of his wet tongue made her want more. She grasped his ebony hair and pulled his face closer to her crotch, pleading for more. From the corner of her eye, Lorelei saw Walter grasp his member and begin to pleasure himself as he continued digging his tongue into her opening. She pushed closer to his mouth, wanting his tongue and hoping he would come when she did. Just the thought of him pleasuring himself to her was the exact catalyst that sent her over. Walter followed soon after. He rolled over to lay next to her, and they watched the moon rise higher into the sky as the hum of their pleasured bodies settled.

"Have you caught your breath?" Walter teased.

"Good God, have I ever."

…

"What's that noise?" Lorelei gurgled when she awoke from Walter's naked chest on their fluffy bed. He smoothed her ruffled hair while they focused on the happenings occurring outside. They perked their ears, and Lorelei ground her teeth to avoid biting her nails. Yes, those were definitely the shuffling of something supernatural. There were a few yelps quickly silenced by the spurt of what could only be teeth squelching into flesh like into the meat of a mango.

"Blast it all. Those sound like ghouls," the butler confirmed what Lorelei already knew. "There must be some knock off vampire jumping around and making a ruckus," he groaned, letting his head hit the pillow. Lorelei cuddled close, sharing the heat of his body. He wrapped his arms around her tight.

"Ghouls?" Lorelei commented. She kissed Walter's ear and he purred in contentment. "Well, I suppose that's alright. Disposing of the cretins won't cross any boundary lines if we don't tell anyone. We don't want to get rusty, now do we?"

"No, Poppet, we don't," the butler agreed. They vacated their bed to begin the process of clothing themselves while they listened to the music of blood splattering onto alleyway corners. Lorelei smacked Walter's butt. He cupped hers in turn once they finished clothing themselves and picking out their weapons. They arrived at the threshold of their room and locked eyes, turquoise to violet.

"Let's get going, Mr. Dornez."

"I shall follow you anywhere, Mrs. Dornez."

"Best honeymoon ever?"

"The very."


	16. Epilogue

Epilogue

20/12/1999

Who would have imagined that I would turn sentimental and scribe my daily routine into a journal? Walter, that's who. I tell you, the man has a knack for understanding what I need before I can even form the thought. Seeing as there has been an unusual amount of downtime lately what with the Y2K nonsense (meaning no, it's been sure as hell busy with cults and shit saying that the end of the world is near, yeah, yeah,) writing does seem like a great outlet for divulging and organizing my thoughts. There are no secrets here, so don't think you'll learn anything new, Alucard. Get out of my book!

Today Dante came over for a visit to show off the new clothes I bought for Delilah. To be honest, I never thought that Walter's and my goofy Dante would be the only one of our children to be in wedded bliss with two whelps of his own, but here we are with five-year-old Salem and newborn Delilah. They are both more hyper than their father with their hair a more blazing red than his. I pity my poor son. I couldn't handle Dante at thirty-four, so how can he handle his two crazy doubles at the same age? Hmn, to be a fly on the wall and watch him squirm.

If anyone was to settle down, I thought that my serious Peter would be the prime candidate. I always thought that the contrast between his blue eyes, black hair, and adorable freckles would pull in loads of admirers. He takes after his father, that is for sure. Broke many hearts and was a complete struggle to raise as a teenager. Peter's touched up and straightened out since his youth. I'm proud that he has taken the route of the next generation of hunter. Maybe he too will find someone worth bothering like Walter did to me.

As Arthur's confidant, I helped him with his financial decisions today. He's really buckled down since a few years ago. The third midlife crisis and whatnot. More like end life crisis, but we don't tell him that. Will he ever learn from the first one? Even Oliver couldn't keep a hold of him. And…oh, wait. Seras is calling. I'll be back.

23/12/1999

I'm not that proficient in book keeping, am I? A few days ago Seras called after completing a mission in Peru. She took Gwendolyn with her. Those two. They're nine years apart but more sisters than most actual blood kin. I'm forever thankful that Walter took in Seras's parents before they had a chance to be murdered like in Walter's original timeline. They have both been a large asset to the Hellsing Organization and the Hellsing Police Force. I am even more grateful that Seras is still a part of Hellsing. Seeing as Integra was born in the same year she had been previously in Walter's timeline, goodness this is still confusing, the three girls share a kickass bond. Gwendolyn was in the same boarding school as Integra and Seras. Maybe that's why they became so interwound? It's either that or they were always forced to become close from because of us, their parents. To be frank, it doesn't matter. I'm just glad to be where we are.

Arthur and Oliver have retired, leaving their estate and titles to Integra. She is just as intense as the woman I knew through Walter. She just has more friends to keep her safe. Not like she really needs saving. She could take on Alucard if she wanted. Hmph, those two are just as ridiculous as I remembered. As for my Walter, oh my, he still goes about as if he was the young boy I met in my youth. Of course, more distinguished and wrinkled, but him all the same. Every day is a blessing, I say. Another night to kill off the blight of the wicked supernatural and sleep soundly with my husband is a good one in my books.

Being married to the Hellsing butler has been a non-stop thrill. I cannot imagine another life without him by my side. He, well…oh. Shit. I have to go now. I think Alucard gave Rip Van Winkle too much intensive training. She's sprawled kind of…weird on the floor. Is she suppose to bleed that much?

25/12/1999

Dear Lorelei. I promise I did not read your book. I already see your disgusting display of affection 365 days a year. Fucking cut it out.

Best, Alucard.

25/12/1999

Alucard, stay out of my wife's journal.

-Walter

25/12/1999

No.

-The King-

25/12/1999

Both of you? GET OUT!

Rightful Owner of Journal

…

Thank you to all who have read _Tied_. Thanks to this adventure, I know I am able to write at novel length. I understand that I still need to perfect pace, plot, and character, but I've overcome one hurdle. I am overjoyed that you have read and gone on this journey with me. Please, do have a great rest of you week. See you on the flip side.

-Memeke89


End file.
